Stating the Obvious

As Kelan and Lauren get older, I find myself constantly verbalizing dos and don'ts (in addition to a variety of answers to a never ending supply of questions). Sometimes I have to laugh out loud at the things I say or at least recognize that they are absurd to the person who happens to overhear me. I cannot believe some of the phrases I say: Kelan, please do not drag your sister. Kelan, please do not sit on your sister. Kelan, please do not jump on your sister. Lauren, please do not put sticks in your nose. Lauren, please do not stick your hands in the toilet while your are peeing. It truly amazes me that I actually have to state that these actions are unacceptable. I would think that it would be understood. Clearly - yet again - I am mistaken.

Thankfully it is not only me. Today after Kelan's swim lesson, we went into the locker room where you can shower and change. Kelan and his good friend (they take swim lessons together and his mother is a good friend of mine) are playing in the shower together when I overhear, It is not time to play with your penises. How often do you hear that? I start to laugh so I turn away, because if the boys see my reaction, it will only encourage them. How my friend can say this without laughing - and so calmly - is beyond me (she is smiling though). We move away from the shower to the lockers to get the boys dressed. Then I hear her say to her son, please get your finger out of your bum. I lose it. I am laughing so hard. What are you doing? Please stop putting your finger in your bum. She is laughing now too. There is another mother right next to us dressing her mild mannered son who gets up to leave. I am not sure if they were done. We give each other a look and continue laughing. Sometimes you just have to go with it.

The thing is, there is always something that we are addressing with young children. They are learning all the time and it is our job as parents to lead them in the right way. We think we are stating the obvious, when in fact we are teaching them (endlessly) what the obvious is.

Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video

This Obama video made me cry. It talks of the change and hope I want for my children. I believe he can engage people to help work towards a better country and future.

I like the way Caroline Kennedy said it when she endorsed Barack Obama: I want a President who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.

I struggle a bit with not supporting Hillary - do not get me wrong, if she becomes the nominee I will support her 100 percent - but Obama makes me feel . Hillary does not. I feel hopeful of a future for my family (and for every family). I feel those citizens who are not engaged in public life will choose to be in some way. I feel that change is possible. Of course it is way more complicated than that. Yes, it would be amazing to have a woman as President and it seems that every woman I know who is supporting her says that. But that contrasts to Obama supporters - who do not seem to be saying that they want the first African American President - they are saying they want Obama. They want change (although I want to note that I just heard an interview on NPR that interviewed and African American woman who said she was voting for Obama because he was black).

At the end of the day we need change. It is not about Obama. It is not about Hillary. It is about you and me and what we can do.