Rockin' the Vote

Last night, Don and I took Ben to vote. As we were ready to leave the house, we told Ben that we were going to go vote. We would have to be patient while we stood in line. We would need to use quiet, inside voices. But, yes, he could take his flashlight ('cause why not?) and maybe we'd even go out for dinner after we finished.

We stood in line for several minutes as the line got longer and longer. After talking to the people around us about what he was going to be for Halloween, Ben was ready for a little more action.

B: Uh, Mommy? When do we get on the boat?
H: Huh?
B: The BOAT. You said we were coming to "BOAT".
H: Oh, no, Honey. Vote. VVVVVVVV-Vote.
B: But what's that?
H: Well, in a few minutes, we'll go in that room and vote. We'll use a computer to show which people we want to vote for. When we're done, we'll get a sticker.
B: Oh. (peeks inside the election room) I want to VVVVVVVVVVVVV-VOTE. But it's all adults. (cue the sad face) But I want to vote and get a sticker.
H: You have to be 18 to vote. When you're 18 you can vote, but I bet you can still have a sticker.
B: And we can still go out for dinner?
H: Sure.
B: Ok.

When I was escorted to the touchscreen voting machine, Ben's eyes lit up.
B: Mommy, can I play the game when you're done?
Instead, we compromised and I let Ben touch the arrow to move to the next screen. In true civics teacher fashion, I asked him to press the "cast ballot" button with me.

So, in a sense, Ben did get to vote. And he got a sticker. And we went out for pizza. And ice cream.

Today on the way to Tae Kwon Do, Ben was thinking about his first experience with the democratic process.
B: Mommy? You know what?
H: What?
B: Actually, voting was pretty fun.
H: Yeah. It is, isn't it.
B: Yep! Can we go again today?