Taking your kid to the polls
Categories: Preschoolers, Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Teens & tweens, Playground bureau
Is there anything quite like election day?For me, it has always been something of a holiday. As a young cub reporter I stayed up all night, waiting for returns and even, some years, writing out the results by hand in a grid that ran on the front page.
It was intoxicating.
Today at 7 a.m., my husband and 3-year-old daughter left for the polls. He in his shirt and tie, she in track pants under her fleece nightgown, hair a cloud of bedtime curls.
Why, you ask, did I send my little girl out into the cold Midwestern morning in her pajamas? Without her breakfast?
Because today, of all election days, is historic. Today we have on the ballot a war hero, a woman, an African-American man, and a widower. Where else in the world can you participate in a peaceful coup d'etat with such a varied field from which to choose your leader?
No matter what your leanings, voting is a right and a privilege. We need to teach our children that early and often. To me, the deadliest sin is apathy. I want all children to have passion for this great country we live in, to understand just how important it is to be an active participant in democracy.
It is a glorious responsibility.
And in the years to come, as we sit around the dinner table, we can talk about how my little girl was there, today, making history.
Did you take your children with you to vote? Why or why not?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
vacelts 11-04-2008 @ 11:12AM
I took my kids to vote. The line wasn't as bad as I expected. We only waited for 30 minutes and the kids did great.
But even more fun was the pre-voting conversation we had. I was trying to explain what we'd be doing, but by kids end up making their own nominations for prez.
http://redlightnaps.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/election-08/
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Jamie 11-04-2008 @ 11:22AM
My 4 year old has preschool and so I only took a 16 month old with me. We waited an hour and he did great. My son will vote today on Clifford or Sponge Bob for president. My son's school does a great job with the kids. I asked him who he would vote for and why and told him how important it was that he be there to vote. No matter who you vote for, you must vote. It is a great experience and we are lucky to have it.
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Margaret 11-04-2008 @ 11:26AM
I took my oldest (6). I dropped her sisters off at school and told the principal she'd likely be in late. I didn't know how the lines would be and my girls are known to be rascals. Had I known there were no lines and we'd be in and out within minutes, I would have taken them as well. I posted pictures on my blog about taking her with me.
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Jill 11-04-2008 @ 11:31AM
I took my 5 month old daughter with me at around 10:30am (EST), we waited in line about 5 minutes if that and then another few minutes waiting for a standing booth - which was easier for me with a stroller. My daughter was great, we were in and out, and hopefully in 4 years I can take her with me again!
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Don 11-04-2008 @ 12:36PM
I plan on leaving work and picking up my son to take him with me to vote.
I only hope that the choices we make today have a positive impact on my sons future...
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mamaloo 11-04-2008 @ 12:44PM
I just wrote a story about this issue: taking your kids to vote.
I took my son recently to vote in the Canadian election and wrote a story about it for an online magazine. The link to that story is in my story: http://theclevermom.com/?p=78
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natalie 11-04-2008 @ 1:01PM
Children should not be involved in voting or even truly educated about voting until middle school. Young children are not supposed to have these cares in their lives. Children today are not allowed to be children worrying abut what's on the news, who will be our next president and so on. Children should only be worrying about house hold chores, school work and what they will do for the weekend. Keep children's lives as stress free as possible until they enter early adult hood. Bringing a three year old out of bed for no reason because she is not understanding what is going on is selfish. Get a baby-sitter, send her to day care, there is always another option if planned ahead, or the centers need to set up a play area for children.
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KJSMAMA 11-07-2008 @ 1:25PM
I agree with you! Leave them out of it! I don't disagree with telling them about it but why drag them to the polls? It was cute listening to my three year old say John McCain and Barack Obama!
CLM 11-04-2008 @ 3:17PM
My children have come with my husband and I to our polling station for every local and national election. They were only about 6lbs the first time we took them with us to vote. How will they know voting is important if they don't see us voting? They don't need to know the issues right now, just that the process is a right and responsibility of citizens.
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Alice 11-04-2008 @ 3:20PM
My husband and I took our 2 year old and our 5 month old. I wanted them to be there when history was made. We took pictures outside with them so they'll have those for posterity some day.
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Brooke 11-05-2008 @ 9:24PM
I took my kids to vote 4 years ago and again this election year. My 10 year old son said, " There will only be one more election that I can't vote in." I thought it was very insightful of him to be thinking about his future.
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