Boogers on the Wall

During the past week I have loved hearing my children tell me who to vote for in the presidential election. They had a lot easier time than I did deciding on a candidate. Apparently it was a lot more black and white for them.

One of my boys told me I needed to vote for Obama because he was more handsome than Romney.

The other said I shouldn’t vote for Romney because he looks like a moustache-less James Jonah Jameson. And since Jameson, the newspaper editor from the Spider-Man series, isn’t nice to the friendly neighborhood hero, Romney didn’t deserve my vote.

I was amazed that my little boys were not only aware of who the candidates were, they had an opinion – albeit superficial – on who they would vote for. And they weren’t the only ones.

On Tuesday morning, one of my friends told me her 4-year-old son said she couldn’t vote for Obama. When asked why, he said because O-bomb-a “throws bombs.”

Four years ago, that same friend’s 8-year-old daughter nearly stole a political yard sign from my front lawn because she supported an opposing candidate.

For my little boys, it all came down what the candidates looked like.

But rest assured, my presidential vote wasn’t cast based upon the physical appearance of the candidates. And although I laugh about why my children said I should vote for a particular person, I love that they were talking about the election.

I am sure my children have listened to my husband and me talk back and forth about politics and have soaked up pieces from our conversations.

They were very interested in what was going on and were devastated when I told them they couldn’t vote.

My four-year-old had been telling people for weeks that he was voting for Obama. Which is a dangerous thing to say while living in the bright-red republican state of Utah. But I guess a cute strawberry blonde preschooler can get away with it.

Although my friend volunteered to watch my children while I hit the poles, my oldest two boys wouldn’t stand for it. If they didn’t get to vote, they at least had to come with when I voted.

They literally ran into our polling location – a nearby church – excited and energetic about being part of the political process. My four and six year olds may not have a clue about the issues of the election, but they still wanted a right to choose.

They stood by my side while I cast my ballot then walked out of the church heads held high as they sported red circle “I Voted” stickers.

As a parent that made me proud.

Let’s just hope in 12 and 14 years, they feel the same way.