I’ve brought my kids along with me to vote in every election since 2008 (even the midterms, even the random city elections).
Maddie in 2008.
Annie in 2012.
Annie yesterday (James was playing with Gramma, he’ll come along in November).
I think it’s important to set a good example for my kids when it comes to voting since it’s a very important part of the political process — one that, unfortunately, not enough people participate in.
Annabel is old enough this year to have a lot of questions about voting and the primary process. It’s been a challenge to explain to her the wildly divergent ways our states and parties elect representatives, although it’s forced me to become a lot more educated about our crazy electoral system. It’s far too confusing and antiquated and, in some states, not at all democratic (I’m looking at you, caucuses).
I’m glad that Annabel is too young to see how divisive this election has been over the last year. She sees people holding signs and cheering and wearing buttons and thinks it’s all exciting and rosy. I wish that were true. The passion people have for their candidates is great but the hatred and nastiness are not.
I don’t think it’s a secret which candidate I prefer, but I respect everyone’s choice (even if you’re voting for that guy who blocked me on twitter) and I hope you’ll respect mine. I’m not campaigning for a candidate here — instead, I’m lobbying for treating each other the way we’d like to be treated, and focusing on positives. Respect and kindness for each other is what this primary season has sorely lacked, and I know it’s wishful thinking to hope that it will settle down for the general election, but I’m going to hope for it anyway.
Yesterday was a special day for me and I’m glad I got to share it with my daughter, even if she doesn’t fully understand the historical significance. She says she wants to be President someday. If she runs, I’ll be more excited to vote for her than Leslie Knope was to vote for herself. But if it doesn’t, I’m excited that she thinks it’s possible.
DefendUSA says:
Sadly, the ugly and nasty has been around since George Washington was running for President…It’s just now the exposure and method of archiving appears to be permanent!
It is ever so important to teach your kids about their civic duty. Back in the days when my Gramma was alive and voting, she never revealed her choice. What she passed on to me is this: Everyone who is eligible to vote should do so. Sometimes you get who you want and sometimes you don’t. Ultimately, you respect the office of the President and do your best to support what you can. #Ivoted #becausegerrymanderingagain
Jill says:
I too brought my daughter with when I voted as she grew up. She is now a 21 year old who just so happens to take her responsibility as a voter very seriously. ANY behavior you model for your children makes an impact. I love seeing how common it is for parents to share their voting experience with their children. Thank you for touching on the topic!
Debbie A-H says:
Good title for this post! (And something that guy who blocked you knows little about.) I’m with you–and her! Yay!
Mel says:
Oh my. As a Canadian, I have tried to understand how your voting process works and I really need a book on US Election Process for Dummies. I am glad that even US citizens have a hard time wrapping their head around it also. With that being said, what a sad state of affairs the elections have come down to. In Canada we have the same problems only maybe the parties are a little more subtle but our politicians and their union backers are so dirty it would almost make a person throw up. I have always tried to remind my children how important it is to vote and not necessarily vote the way that I do but vote.
Kim says:
We also take our boys with us to vote and have since they were toddlers. They are now 12 and almost 14. My 14 year old will be able to vote in the next presidential election – Yikes how can that be??!! I want him to be able to make an informed decision and not just check the box for the party he associates with. Good for you for taking your kids with you!
LD's Mom says:
I’ve never seen that picture of Maddie. How precious!!!
SUSAN SPARKS says:
Sadly I don’t think either of the 2 front runners have shown any “love and kindness”….each of them has only one concern and that is being elected to the highest office in our nation..now with that being said, I have to ask how anyone could endorse and vote for a candidate that supports the murdering of babies? Makes no sense to me whatsoever! For so many of us that have had very difficult, if not impossible success in conceiving, how can you then turn around and agree with the despicable act? And I know all of the arguments…it was a “mistake”, it’s not a baby yet, not quite sure who the daddy is and the most selfish one…it’s my body, well no, that baby inside of you is your responsibility to care for and nurture to birth and then if you don’t feel able to care for this child, place this child for adoption for those of us who so desperately want a child…please don’t murder an innocent baby! Remember this when you cast your vote…if your candidate can so freely support murdering babies, what else can they so easily support???
Leslie says:
Erm…as far as I know, none of the candidates are pro-baby-murder. If that is what you think pro-choice means, you need some further education. I find it horrifying that you would comment with this on Heather’s blog, of all places. She deliberately tried to keep politics out of her post, and you come back with “baby murdering?” And I also do not not believe that HRC is solely concerned with “getting elected to the highest office in our nation” (I do not believe the same goes for certain hair-piece-wearing candidates).
If I could promise all pregnancies and children the following, I would probably be less pro-choice, but that is not reality:
1.) a safe and healthy pregnancy
2.) health insurance
3.) paid maternity leave
4.) food
5.) a family that wants them
Val says:
Just came here to high five you, Leslie.
Holly says:
Yay Leslie! Well said.
Jordan says:
Preach it, Leslie!!
Stephanie says:
All of this Leslie.
Lilian says:
Heather, brilliant post. Leslie, brilliant response to Susan!
Kim says:
Perfect response to the troll Leslie.
Karen says:
For someone who ‘knows all the arguments’, you sure left out a few, Susan. How about;
1. A pregnancy that, if continued, presents considerable risk to mother. This may include but is not restricted to known health factors, age and maturity of the mother, and ongoing psychological factors. (You know, so we cater for women with high-risk health problems, or 12-year-old mothers, or victims of sexual abuse…)
2. A pregnancy that, if continued, has a high risk of developing into a child with a projected quality of life that may be considered, by some families, to be too traumatic.
3. A pregnancy that, if continued, could impact a mother and her family in so many countless ways that it is not up to you, me or anyone else to decide what is best and certainly not what is ‘right’.
The real challenge in this debate is for people in your position to take off your rose-coloured glasses and stop believing that pro-choice is about allowing “wealthy middle-class career women the right to cultivate a lifestyle that fits into their busy schedule” and realise that there are so many heartbreaking factors that go into the NEED to terminate a pregnancy, (it’s not always a matter of desire), that having inconsiderate people label it as murder is just about as barbaric as what you’re accusing them of being.
GreenInOC says:
I heard Pat Morrison (KPCC) years ago talking about “Propositions and Pies” and it sound so fun, I did it too!
Invite a bunch of friends over…
1) assign proposition to study & present – both good and bad/for and against – to different individuals (this is not meant to per persuasive – just the facts ma’am!)
2) for anybody who is NOT presenting must bring a homemade pie for everyone to enjoy
It was SO much fun! It forced those of us presenting to not only really understand an issue but from both sides so that you could answer questions. Everyone had a blast, got informed and enjoyed some pie!
Val says:
I flippin’ LOVE this idea!
GreenInOC says:
Geez so many typos in my comment – apparently I need a typing and tamales day too!!
Jennifer says:
I’m so with you, Heather! My mom once told me that if you don’t vote, you have no right to judge who gets elected or complain when measures pass that you don’t agree with. I’ve tried to instill that in my children, too. My kiddos have indeed come to vote with me since they were babies. Yesterday, my daughter asked if she could ink my votes in for me and I was pretty sure I would get frowns from the people running the polling station. I told her she would have to wait the 10 more (long) years before she is old enough to vote for herself.
I think the thing about elections that frustrates me are the commercials. Unless you do your due diligence, you have no idea if the claims made are true or false. I’ve had to have many talks with my twins who at one point believed they were going to be deported with their father simply because their heritage is part Latino. They truly believed that would happen. When I asked them why they thought this, they told me they saw it in a commercial and pointed it out when it came on the air the next day. We had to have a long conversation about citizenship and political commercials. The fact that something I hardly pay attention too any more caused my children to think they would be torn from me and forced to live in another country haunts me.
I will continue to bring my Twinjas every time I vote. I want it to be what they know as their right and privilege and do naturally when they grow up.
Michele says:
My son was only 6 weeks old in 2012, but I was still so proud to bring him into the voting booth with me. Can’t wait to bring both of my kids this time around (and will just hope that my crazy toddler doesn’t inadvertently push a wrong button for me!). Loved, loved that picture of you and Annabel last night.
Jenny says:
We also bring our son with us to vote. As he gets older, i think it becomes just as important to speak with him about the process and how to weed out news sources and critical information. The memes and sound bites are replacing intelligent research for too many people. I think this also applies to local and state governments.
Great pics! As always, Annie’s hair makes me envious. Maddie’s smile is beautiful!
Stephanie says:
Yesterday was a big deal for me. I brought my older daughter, who is about six months older than Annie. She was so happy to come, especially since the polling place was at her elementary school! Anyway, I voted the same way I did in the primary eight years ago.
The bigger issue is ALWAYS voting. If you don’t watch Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, you should. She did a great job of showing why we’re kind of where we are today – because people sat home during the 2010 midterms. I vote in every primary, every general, every midterm. Even if my candidate of choice or issue of choice doesn’t win, at least I can say I made my voice heard, and not just once every four years.
Lindsay says:
I deeply appreciate this post, Heather. Although something I’m really grappling with in this election is that, when it comes right down to it, I DON’T respect everyone’s choice. I respect that they have the right to MAKE the choice. But I cannot bring myself to respect a choice that to me is against everything I want my country to stand for.
Heather says:
I am really struggling with this too, honestly. I think we feel the same way. But I am trying, because I know some people feel as strongly against my chosen candidate as I feel about theirs…of course, their differences are staggering. It’s going to be really hard.
Lindsay says:
Not to resort to a cliche, but I really have been thinking a lot about the quote (and I know I’m paraphrasing a bit), “I do not agree with what you say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”
EVERYONE in our country has the right to cast their vote. I respect that, I defend that.
But it’s so scary and disheartening to me how many people are casting their vote for someone who seems so dangerous.
A hard, hard election year for sure.
Katrina says:
“someone so dangerous”
funny but when you say that I honestly don’t know which candidate you speak of. To me, they can both be dangerous to our country, our people — just in different ways. I now have to give thought to which kind of danger I am willing to live with….and then I’ll cast my vote in November and hope for the best.
RzDrms says:
Um, to quote her exactly, she *actually* said “someone who seems so dangerous.” Slight – but very important – distinction.
Katrina says:
still, they both “seem” dangerous to me, each in different ways.
Jackson says:
I do not know who you voted for and respect your private decision. I don’t like when comments on blogs become political platforms for individuals. I am glad with the outcome in CA and will leave it at that.
Margie says:
I became a naturalized citizen in late 2014 so this will be my first presidential election and I am so excited to be casting my vote.
Allie says:
And just when I thought it wasn’t possible to love your blog more you made a Leslie Knope reference
Katrina says:
I don’t take my kids voting with me… but I always come home and proudly show off my “I VOTED” sticker!
RzDrms says:
I JUST told a dear friend over the weekend that I keep coming back to this: I feel like my choice/beliefs are 100% right! LOL! How close-minded is that/does that sound?? But, it’s how I truly feel, deep down. She wrote back a *beautiful* letter, saying (in short, poorly paraphrased) that we’re all at such different places in our lives, that God (in our minds/frames of reference) is still working on people, on ALL of us. That our (hers, mine) beliefs at our age now are – in places – quite different than they may have been when we were in our teens and twenties and even possibly very recently! She then suggested I read “A New Earth” immediately, which I started, immediately…and…it all really helped me! Meaning, it allowed me to open my mind (a bit) more that we all think differently, come from so many different places and with such a variety of known and unknown motives, that we’re all, including her and me (hopefully) are still growing and learning and honing ourselves. What she wrote was so beautiful, and for me to follow it up with “A New Earth,” is *exactly* what I needed to get through this INCREDIBLY stressful and polarizing election period, through reading people’s detailed opinions (!!!), through trying (and failing) to find some way, ANY way, to adequately and fully and easily explain how I can be a bleeding heart liberal Christian, without losing my mind and my cool in the process. Her comments help me step back, pray for compassion and kindness and love, and realize that – if I’m going to say that it’s a free country where I welcome anyone and will personally help tear down “a wall” – then I need to understand that includes “people who don’t think exactly like I do.” It’s helped, truly.
GreenInOC says:
For those having trouble with the “other” side, whatever that may be for you, you might enjoy this Ted Talk – not that I’m any good at this but it’s a great talk!
https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_lesser_take_the_other_to_lunch?language=en
Liz says:
I love how you get her involved each year, and especially this year when there was actually a woman on the ticket. History!
I still have fond memories of my own parents letting me pull the voting booth levers (aw, remember levers?) and I have no doubt it influenced my feeling of responsibility and desire to stay involved with the political process. You’re doing good, mama!
Jhoei says:
I like your idea of bringing them when you vote to be aware of their rights. I think it’s okay to bring your kids to vote if they are already big enough to understand and appreciate the importance of exercising your right to vote.