Politics
In preschool on Thursday the kids learned about Independence Day and some of the symbols of America. Fiona came home with a picture she'd drawn.
"That's the eagle," she said, pointing to the birdlike object on the left. A stick figure person stood to the right. "What's that man's name, again, Daddy?" she asked.
I hadn't been there; this was the first I'd seen of the picture. "George Washington?" I guessed. "Thomas Jefferson?"
"No, it's President Bush," she responded.
Shudder. I'd always wondered how we were going to deal with talking about politicians with Fiona. Along with 70% of the country we're not so fond of the current administration, but I'd kind of hoped we could just avoid the topic entirely until after January. I'd rather not have my kid showing up at preschool parroting her parents' feelings on Dubya, even if we still live in New York (at least for another week) and those feelings are likely shared by 99% of the other kids' parents at her preschool.
So Andrea and I exchanged a look and left it at that.
The next day (July 4th), Fiona was at it talking about President Bush again. That's all she knows--his name and that he's the head cheese (not her words).
"You know," I told her, "we're going to have a new President soon."
"What's his name?"
"Well, it will either be Barack Obama or John McCain," I told her, figuring we could safely leave Nader out of the picture.
"Maybe his name will be President Bush again," she said. Kids like stability.
"I hope not," I blurted out.
"Why?" she asked.
"He can't run again," I explained.
"Is he going to die soon? Is he really old?" Electoral transfers of power don't really factor in a world view heavy on princesses and various royal lineage.
"No, we just choose a new president every four years." The way Fiona remembers things I'll probably get raked over the coals in 2012 for not mentioning the whole reelection thing, but only as much as a four-year old can handle, right?
"So who's going to be the new president?" she asked.
"Barack Obama or John McCain," I repeated. Then, figuring I could throw in a minor party candidate, if only to keep myself amused: "or maybe Bob Barr."
"Babar!" she said. "He's a silly elephant."
And so I managed to dodge politics for another day.
"That's the eagle," she said, pointing to the birdlike object on the left. A stick figure person stood to the right. "What's that man's name, again, Daddy?" she asked.
I hadn't been there; this was the first I'd seen of the picture. "George Washington?" I guessed. "Thomas Jefferson?"
"No, it's President Bush," she responded.
Shudder. I'd always wondered how we were going to deal with talking about politicians with Fiona. Along with 70% of the country we're not so fond of the current administration, but I'd kind of hoped we could just avoid the topic entirely until after January. I'd rather not have my kid showing up at preschool parroting her parents' feelings on Dubya, even if we still live in New York (at least for another week) and those feelings are likely shared by 99% of the other kids' parents at her preschool.
So Andrea and I exchanged a look and left it at that.
The next day (July 4th), Fiona was at it talking about President Bush again. That's all she knows--his name and that he's the head cheese (not her words).
"You know," I told her, "we're going to have a new President soon."
"What's his name?"
"Well, it will either be Barack Obama or John McCain," I told her, figuring we could safely leave Nader out of the picture.
"Maybe his name will be President Bush again," she said. Kids like stability.
"I hope not," I blurted out.
"Why?" she asked.
"He can't run again," I explained.
"Is he going to die soon? Is he really old?" Electoral transfers of power don't really factor in a world view heavy on princesses and various royal lineage.
"No, we just choose a new president every four years." The way Fiona remembers things I'll probably get raked over the coals in 2012 for not mentioning the whole reelection thing, but only as much as a four-year old can handle, right?
"So who's going to be the new president?" she asked.
"Barack Obama or John McCain," I repeated. Then, figuring I could throw in a minor party candidate, if only to keep myself amused: "or maybe Bob Barr."
"Babar!" she said. "He's a silly elephant."
And so I managed to dodge politics for another day.
posted by BWC at
11:05 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home