With the presidential campaign coming up, it's not too early to plan ahead and decide how much to explain to your children about the election and the politics surrounding it.

Children between 8 and 12 years old know about voting and the election process. Most have lived in this culture all their lives and have soaked up political bits and pieces from you, the media, talk at school and possibly lessons in the classrooms. The electoral process is one of many topics that parents should broach with their children.

It's your parental responsibility to sift the information your children hear through your political value system and let them know where you stand. By starting now you won't need to bombard them with all the details at once, but instead pique their interest and introduce the various candidates and controversies that exist in small doses as the election draws near.

Talking about politics is not a one-time kitchen-table discussion. You want your children to know that you're available to offer insights when they are confused, need explanations or are curious about what's taking place.

Your job is to think out loud so your children can hear your thoughts, ideas and opinions. Your task isn't to indoctrinate them into thinking exactly like you, but instead to make them realize the importance of being aware of the various issues and what the candidates stand for. By doing so, when they're 18-year-old voters, they'll be able to make responsible choices for themselves.

Read selections from the newspaper to your children, encourage them to focus on certain segments that appear on TV. If you disagree with a news segment or a political opinion, let your child know you hold a different opinion. If, however, you agree, voice that opinion too.

Tell them of the electoral process, including some of the details of the last presidential election. Always end with the message that regardless of politics that sometimes surround elections, it's every citizen's duty to vote. When the voter's pamphlet comes out in the fall, read aloud who is running and for what offices, explain the various initiatives and how you're voting. Explain to your children how you came to your decisions.

Define terms such as propaganda, public-relations pitches and campaign strategies and, yes, include information about political party tactics. Between ages 8 and 12, children's minds begin to open up to the bigger world that lies beyond school and extracurricular activities.

By engaging your children during the middle years of childhood, you're more likely to influence them.

If you start such political discussions when they're on the cusp of becoming voters themselves, they'll be less interested in hearing from you. Once teenagers, the opinions of their teachers, peers and the media hold their interest much more than yours. With teenagers you might find yourself debating the various issues and candidates. Don't be afraid to do so, a healthy respectful exchange of political ideas with your teenager is actually good.

It's best if you can show your children both sides of any issue. You walk a fine line as a parent. On the one hand, it's normal and natural for every parent to influence their child's political thinking. Yet it's important to communicate to your children that as they mature and eventually vote themselves, they'll need to develop their own political opinions. The goal for parents is to raise children who go to the polls and who are responsible voting citizens.

Jan Faull, a specialist in child development and behavior, answers questions of general interest in her column. You can e-mail her at janfaull@aol.com or write to: Jan Faull, c/o Families, The Seattle Times, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.