Oh, Kids

The recent, history making, election kept the nation on the edge of its seat for months, and now that it's all over I feel the time is appropriate to talk about all of the election-related insight I received from the kids I look after.

Both of the stories I'm going to share with you occurred in the car. This is only important because you have to realize that I had to keep enough composure to drive during all of this.

Another important background note is that these children's father has a GOP bumper sticker on the back of his car.

One day, A and I were in the car without N, and she asked me who I was going to vote for. I decided she didn't need to know. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to talk about politics with her, but I would rather the discussion come from a subjective perspective rather than telling her which candidate I support. I feel that if I voiced any preference one way or the other, she might not feel comfortable talking to me about opposing opinions. That would put up roadblock to our communication, which is the last thing I want. I chose to respond with "Why do you ask?" She continued by telling me that Mr. Obama wants to take money from us. Curious, I asked for more information. She shared with me that if he is the President, and I get $100 for mowing a lawn, he is going to take away $50. I replied, "Do you know what taxes are?"

A few weeks later, we were going about our daily fun-ities, when A said, "Miss Katie, this song is inappropriate." Sometimes when I'm driving I'm listening to the radio, and sometimes it's just noise. Unfortunately, this time it was just noise. "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry was playing. Once I realized that the content of the song was not appropriate for elementary school children I promptly changed that station. By this time N was in tune with what's going on and pipes up, "What was it about?" I explained to him that it was inappropriate and we weren't going to talk about it. I was not going to discuss sexual experimentation with two children under age 10. A, however, decided to explain to her younger brother about how "some girls don't like to kiss boys, they like to kiss other girls." He remarked, in a simple and matter-of-fact way, "Oh, they must be Liberal."

I was waiting in anticipation for election day, partly because I'm interested in politics and the future of our country, but mostly because I wanted to know how the kids would react, either way. The morning after election day, I called their mother, knowing that they would be upset. Come to find out that N cried when he heard the results.


Oh, Liberals.