What is Democracy?

I know some of you have tried to explain today's events to kids. At lunch the Ladybug's mom and dad left to vote and she asked me where they were going. I tried my best to explain, and I even used props.

I told LB that Mama and Dada were going to the school by the little church so they could vote.

LB: What's vote?

Cait: It's when you pick something. Like when you and the sisters all tell me what song you want to hear and then we listen to the one that most of you want to hear.

LB: Oh, I like that. But only when you play my song.

Cait: Well, big people like voting when the person we want to be president wins.

LB: What's president?

Cait: Right now it's Barack Obama. You remember who he is, right?

LB: From the book?

Cait: That's right, from the book (we have a copy of the book that Barack Obama wrote for his daughters.) If he wins, then he gets to be president for 4 more years, but another man, Mitt Romney, wants to be president, too. So they're asking all of the big people all over the country to help pick who gets to win.

LB: Mitt is like mitten.

Cait: Yes, it is. Do you know what the country is?

LB: Yes.

Cait: Really?

LB: No.

At this point I pulled out a handy dandy State Quarters map that just happened to be on the kitchen table.

Cait: This is the country that we live in. It's called the United States of America. There are 50 states all together.

LB: Is that a lot?

Cait: Does it look like a lot?

LB: Yes.

Cait: Do you know which state we live in?

LB: Yes.

Cait: Really?

LB: Vermont.

Cait: Good girl. Vermont is all the way up here. Now, each state gets to pick one person to be in charge. That person is called the governor. Right now our governor is Peter Shumlin.

LB: I know.

Cait: Really?

LB: No. I love you, Cait.

Cait: I love you, too. Now, one person gets to be in charge of all of the states. That person is the president.

LB: Like Mama and Dada and Cait.

Cait: Um, sure. Now, when we vote today, everyone from every state gets to say who they want to be president. That's what voting is. Do you remember the two people who want to be president?

LB: Barack Obama from the book and Mitten from the hat.

Cait: Close enough.