Hail to the Chief

With President's Day fast approaching (and I know how giddy you get in anticipation of that...), both girls are learning in school about The Big Guys who have led our country thus far. Both Molly & Rebecca can tell you who the current president is and both know and recognize both Washington and Lincoln. Tonight at dinner, Molly was enlightening us about Mr. Lincoln and Rebecca announced that "our president right now is George W. Bush."

I then added that we would be picking a new President in November. Their eyes lit up. "When is November?" asked Rebecca. "After Halloween." "How can we pick a new one?" Molly wondered. "The grown-ups get to vote. There are a few people who want to be the President and we listen to them and decide who we think will be the best one. Then we vote. And a new President gets elected."

"Can we help you decide?" Molly asked. "Sure. There are a lot of grown-up issues that we think about to help us pick." Rebecca: "Do you just raise your hands all at once and someone counts them to see who gets the most?" "No, we mark a box on a computer or on a piece of paper and they count the marks." (The whole electoral college system seemed a bit too much to explain to a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old.)

Molly wondered which "grown-up issues" we needed to consider. "Well, there's a war now." I said. Molly: "In Iraq. I know. And there are a lot of soldiers there." "Yes, so we want to pick a President who can make the right decisions about the soldiers, to keep them safe and keep our country safe. The President is in charge of the soldiers." "Okay, so what else?" "We want a President who can make good choices about the country's money. And one who can find ways to help people who are poor." Rebecca pipes up. "Jesus said we should help poor people. I think we should let Jesus be the President." "Yes, we should let Jesus be the President. But he's not running." (That is enough of an answer for a 3-year-old.)

"we want a President who can make good choices to take care of the Earth." Rebecca: "Like recycling? And picking up litter?" I nodded and added, "And keeping air clean and making sure we have energy for things like lights and gas." Rebecca considered this. "We have a Honda Hybrid so we don't have to use a lot of gas." What smart kid! :)

"We want a President who can get along with the presidents and leaders of other countries, don't you think?" I said. Molly immediately had an answer for that. "Yeah, so we don't have more wars and so we can fly on airplanes. There's a big world out there, and I want to see it. So far, I've only lived in Iowa and Tennessee and a little bit in Connecticut, and there's a lot more." I nodded.

"What are the names of the people who want to be the president?" asked Rebecca. I named the four front-runners. The conversation broke down a bit when I said our country had two "parties." There was talk of balloons and pinatas and goody-bags, so I had to steer the conversation back to relevance. I think what I liked best about this conversation--the part with the names--is that my three little daughters will not know a time when a woman was not taken seriously as a candidate for President. I want them to believe that's possible for them, that they can truly do whatever they are called to do. I'm not sure the current woman is The Woman to achieve this milestone, but for my girls, the sky is the limit!

So, grown-ups, as you ponder this very important task at hand--when to raise your hand when they call out the name choices for our next President--consider these:
--how will this person lead our soldiers?
--how will this person handle our money?
--how will this person treat the poor?
--how will this person take care of our world?
--how will this person get along with other leaders?

Try to look at it through the eyes of your children. For they will be the recipients of the gifts we leave them, both good and bad!