Sorting Things Out, Preschool Style

Our four-year-old hears a lot of political talk. And like all four-year-olds, he tends to see things in very black and white terms. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing--I want my children to know that there is objective truth and that there is also such a thing as good and such a thing as evil. But it can get a little tricky when Evan starts wanting to know who the "good guys" and "bad guys" are. It's one thing to say that Osama bin laden is a "bad guy." But when Evan starts calling John McCain and the Republicans "good guys" and Barack Obama and the Democrats "bad guys" because he knows we support the former in the the presidential election, I get uncomfortable. I have family members and friends who are fine, good people who support Mr. Obama. So I have been trying to explain to Evan that to do so is not "bad" but that it is in my opinion "wrong"--that I just think Obama and the Democrats are wrong and that's why I don't support them.

So here are a few things that have come out of my four-year-old's mouth over the last few days as a result of him processing the idea that Barack Obama is "wrong":

(While washing his hands) - "Mommy, Barack Obama thinks that hot is cold."

(While waiting for his brother at a chess tournament) - "Mommy, Barack Obama thinks you can talk out loud in the chess room."

You know, I think he may be starting to understand.