Like it or not, presidents traditionally greatly influence the nation as a role model, or as an example
...what example will the nation follow as they witness a president who has been convicted of crimes - in the newly ascending president-elect's case, election fraud and an adjudication for what the judge termed as a rape committed by Donald Trump?
Imagine any young person with an underdeveloped sense of life's consequences and a shaky hold on the concept of right and wrong. What example with they take from seeing how Trump evades the law as he assumes the highest office in the land?
What will they aspire to as they reflect on their country and it's elected leader? Will they adopt a sense of invulnerability and lawlessness as our nation's most prominent leader is allowed to wield the power of the presidency, despite his conviction(s)?
What about the impunity for his criminality which the president-elect has been allowed to assume as he advances to the White House? No consequences.
Not to mention the effect on those who are convicted of far lesser crimes and are made accountable in sentences up to incarceration? There has never been equal judgment under the law in the U.S., and having an unrepentant convicted felon in the White House just makes that disparity all the more glaring and outrageously obvious between average citizens and the man who is supposed to uphold and defend the laws of the land.
I don't have young kids, but I would tell them in a heartbeat that they have no obligation, and should have no interest in respecting an office held by someone who doesn't respect it or them; by someone intent on ignoring the law to get his way, advantaged by a Supreme Court majority of republicans who insist that just assuming the office makes him immune against the judgments of our legal system, and to the law itself.
This isn't going to end well for obvious reasons, but the worst of it may be the influence of an actual criminal bully from the bully pulpit on our nation's youth and others who may be asking themselves, 'what is the value of the law to them in the shadow and influence of a president who refuses to abide by the same laws they are subject to?'
I'd tell my children that the nation's laws shouldn't transgress what would apply to the head of our government, but that they shouldn't expect to be granted such an immorality by their community and law enforcement.
At some point in their lives, they would realize what a crock of shit that is, and I'd agree with them. They would view the nation, including me, as enabling something immoral and wrong, and wonder at our seeming inability to make him accountable.
Will they see someone in that office they admire because of his ability to skirt the law with arrogance, or will they loath and disrespect adults in our voting generations for allowing it to happen?
No way we can paper this over for them.