Entries from February 2008 ↓

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by Tracee Sioux

Ainsley and I got to shake Bill Clinton’s hand! Seriously. She got to meet Bill Clinton, I think he said something like thanks for coming or good to see you or something.

I was too busy recording the moment to really live it.

I don’t really know if she understands the significance of the event. I hope though that it will allow her to feel like she has tangible access to politics.

I hope that she’ll grow up feeling like she can create change in the world, like she can always do something to better her situation. I hope she’ll feel like she has access to political power I guess. By which I mean that she doesn’t feel apathetic or useless, shut out or irrelevant to the process.

We live in a democracy and that is something special and powerful. We can all have a voice and I, for one, feel this election is different than all elections before it because the Internet have really given people, women especially, a voice like they never had before. With access to a platform like the Blogosphere, it would be hard for women and other minority groups to remain disenfranchised much longer.

I remember a mock election at my school when I was in the 2nd grade. The contest was Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. The principal got up in an assembly and chanted, Jimmy Carter has a way of messing up the USA. Ronald Reagan has a way of fixing up the USA.

Take a wild guess who won.

The point is that what we say now to our daughters, regardless of whether we’re democrat or republican, is important. We can either make them feel shut out of the process for which they are entitled to participate – or – hopefully, make them feel empowered with complete access to this country’s democratic process.

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I’m taking the kids to see their first former-President/future first-gentleman (is that the male derivative of First Lady?) today!

Yes, that would be Bill Clinton!

It is thrilling to me that I will have the opportunity to vote for the first female Presidential Candidate.

Taking the daughter out of school for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

What is more empowering than democracy? Nothing.

Very exciting. I hope it will make her feel like politics is accessible to her throughout her life. I hope she’ll always feel like her voice counts. I hope to instill in her a sense of power and responsibility in democracy.

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Do you think I should get you a Valentine?

I’m going to be seriously upset if you spend money on roses that die and please remember I hate the creams. In fact we don’t need chocolate, there’s still some from Christmas.

I was talking to her not you, my sweet husband pointed to our six-year-old daughter, Ainsley.

What?

You got a laptop and we’re going to dinner. You’re not getting me anything are you?

Do you want me to?

No.

Actually, I like to get roses and I would love more chocolate, Daddy. I’ll make you a card. How come I can’t go to dinner?

You get all those cards from your friends at school. Valentine’s is for Mommy and Daddy to go to dinner. You get to go to Nana’s

But, I want to be your valentine.

Okay, Daddy can be your valentine. Zack will you be my Valentine?

Mama!

Isn’t it romantic?

Check out this worthy article, Marry Him, in The Atlantic by Lori Gottlieb. She makes the case for settling for Mr. Good Enough.

From Ms. Good Enough to Mr. Good Enough - Happy Valentine’s Day!

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To understand where we’re going it’s helpful to understand where we’ve been. Check out this flickr photoset called Mom’s World. It’s a photo-essay of a woman, Dotty, in the 1950s who documented her life. It’s beautiful and fascinating.

Watch it with your daughter, she’ll be equally transfixed.

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