11.04.2008

Election Day Drama

Tess: Mom, at school we get to vote for President. Who should I vote for?


me: Well Tess that's the beauty of living in America. You get to decide for yourself who to vote for. Everyone makes their own choice and no one gets to tell you what to do. Your dad is voting for Obama and I am voting for McCain.




Tess: WHAT?!?! YOU MEAN YOU DON'T LOVE EACH OTHER ANYMORE?!? YOU'RE BREAKING UP?!? WHO AM I GOING TO LIVE WITH- YOU OR DAD?!?



me: Whoa Tess, calm down. That's not what that means at all. Let's talk about this...




I will spare you the details of us going over what each candidate believes in and why daddy likes one and I like the other, and why it is so wonderful to live in a place where people can have different opinions and express them freely and still be friends. But even after all this talk talk talk it still ended with Tess in tears because she thought that in having to choose who to vote for at school, she was having to choose between her dad and me. Finally...




me: Tess just vote for Obama. He's going to win anyway and I promise I won't feel bad.




Tess: (smiling for the first time since the conversation began) Okay mom, that's sounds good.




Hmm...do you think she got the take-home message about it being a privilege to make your own decision??



(By the end of school Tess and her friends were chanting "Obama! Obama!" It seems we have a clear winner from the elementary kids...)

9 comments:

Chelsea said...

are you kidding me!! that is so hilarious. the kids are so into the election this time around. Tonight at yw the girls were practically fighting over who should win! So, are you & Nate breaking up?!!

Kearl said...

That is a great kid moment. I love how literally kids take everything.

Unknown said...

this trumps all for my favorite elections-time story. thanks for sharing!

Michelle Burk said...

You handled that conversation very well. Way to go. It should be interesting watching what Obama can do, now that he's president. Keep the cute stories coming.

Shelly said...

LOL! Nicole started the morning by saying she would vote for McCain because the girl would be "almost president". We talked about studying issues and deciding who we think would do best. She later said she listened to the stories her teacher read and chose from that.

It's hard to explain this complicated stuff to a 7 year old!

matt and eve lloyd said...

ha ha ha ha....Tess. How entertaining.

Andrea Horsley said...

Oh Tess!!! That's the most hysterical thing I've read in a long time. Let me know when the divorce will be final.

Andrea said...

It sounds like Utah might be losing some of its 70% republican status once Tess and her friends are voting! Too cute. :)

Amy said...

I so want to have these conversations in my life. How do you not just crack up all day long!!! So great!