It's been a wild political ride these past several weeks.

Whether you love President Donald Trump or despise him, the fact remains he still is our president. The childish behavior exhibited this past week from both sides of the political aisle is not only sad and disturbing but continues to send young people in this country a wrong and shameless message.

We get it — there is no love lost between President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Everyone knows it. No one denies it. But their behavior during Trump's State of the Union Address on Tuesday took it to a whole new level.

Trump blatantly refusing to shake her hand. Pelosi ripping up his speech with a smirk. Really?

If these two were children on the playground, the adults on the sidelines would admonish them both with phrases about decency and respect and sportsmanship.

How is the national political stage any different? If anything, shouldn't we be able to point to our nation's leaders as examples for our children of how to act in the real world.

Attacks continued from both sides the next day as U.S. senators voted to acquit Trump and end the impeachment inquiry dividing the nation and drawing attention away from bigger issues at hand. Utah senator and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney was the subject of angry tweets and childish posts because of his decision to cross party lines.

Does anyone else find it somewhat troubling that we have to explain to children how the behavior of our nation's leaders is how NOT to act in the face of losing or disliking someone or not getting your way?

There is a famous poem that should be required reading for every politician in America today. Written in 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte, “Children Learn What They Live” reminds us that the example we set for our children today is the world we can expect to live in tomorrow.

Her opening two lines sum up what we're seeing on the national political stage today from both of our country's political parties: “If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.”

This is not a partisan issue. This is a human issue. And it's one the adults in the room need to get a handle on quickly.

Young people — especially impressionable children — look to us for guidance. They look to us for how to conduct themselves in the world. They look to us for examples of respecting differences, standing up for beliefs and holding true to the principals upon which this great nation was founded: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Instead, they're seeing a world where it's OK to tear people down or stomp on their views if you dislike or disagree with them. Just tweet out an angry meme — it's OK.

Nolte goes on to remind us that “If children live with sharing, they learn generosity. If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness. If children live with fairness, they learn justice. If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.”

Common decency and respect are not left or right views but ones that should be shared by all regardless of political affiliation.

It's about time all our national leaders started showing respect and decency for those from another party or those who express an opinion or view they don't agree with. Freedom of speech is one of the key points in our Constitution, and every one of us is entitled to it.

It's time to quit acting like children on the playground and start acting like national leaders on an international stage.