Let's keep it light and breezy for a minute.
I was surprised to see my kids become very invested in the Presidential Election. Could be due in part to our living in a swing state where we saw ads 797 times a day...does anyone else in WI have Tammy Baldwin's "you're d**n right" playing on a loop in their head by now? So they were bombarded every day from every angle. We watched lots of coverage (all channels so we could see what all sides were saying) and all the debates at home and then at school they are made to watch CNN student news every day which is kind of crazy because when I was in school teachers were NOT allowed to feed me their opinions but my kids are being spoon fed the Kool Aid already. But in the end they had their own opinions, especially Alyssa who noticed that the President never had any ideas or answers and she didn't trust him. When he was elected the first time she loved him, because again, the schools are
So when election day came they dressed in red white and blue and I suddenly realized that I should have had an election party or Constitution games or something to help them participate in the day. Too late, but we did throw in a few last minute touches to keep them involved.
Notice that here in SE WI we got to vote for Paul Ryan twice. Don't be too jealous, it only worked once.
We were going to do red, white and blue food so we started with this...
but then decided to have them vote on food instead (all of their choices were found on the Domino's menu so it made my life very easy). They also got to vote on which patriotic puzzle we would work on as election results came in and for the President of course.
The official tally after the polls closed (Alex submitted a picture with his ballot).
Nothing major but they had fun with it.
Thankfully they were in bed when the official results came in. As you can see by our yard signs and family ballots, this thing did not go the way we hoped it would. I am not shocked, or even surprised, but I am stunned. Stunned that the majority of the people in this country are okay with 4 more years with this President. My house has gone down in value tens of thousands of dollars every year since he has been in office, my taxes are up, my health insurance premiums are higher and going up by 50% again with HUGE deductibles in place, not to mention the cost of gas and groceries and we are among the lucky ones who still have a job at all. I was disappointed the first time he won, but hopeful. I really hoped he would prove me wrong. This time I am just scared. When the official word came up on the screen, my soul iced over. I could go on and on and on and on about why this was the wrong choice...
and on and on and on...
but not today.
11 comments:
The Church has issued an official statement asking us to pray for the President and Congress--so guess that's about all we can do.
I've seen a lot of moms who did fun election day stuff. I bet your kids loved all the voting. It never even crossed my mind. When I was on my way to go vote James said "I wish I was 18 so I could vote for Obama, because then I could get lot's of free stuff!" I was totally shocked that he would say that since we have never once talked politics at home. They really do get brainwashed at school!
Ann, I saw that and I have prayed and will continue to pray. I would love nothing more than to be dead wrong and to find that there was nothing to fear but the last 4 years do not allow me to be that naive. I will continue to pray for my country and it's leaders as the church has always advised but the church does not say that we have to be happy about the outcome of the election.
Sally, It is a CRAZY time to be raising children. I am very, very close to moving my children to eschool, not just for political reasons, but because I feel like education is nose diving. Alyssa reads when she has free time at school and one day she came home and had completed two books that day at school. Sounds like WAY too much free time and way to little teaching is going on, but they do make sure to squeeze in liberal news media every day.
I was commenting to someone else that I was surprised to see young people on FB "liking" candidates I absolutely knew their parents were not voting for. I wondered where they were getting the influence to go those directions. Never even thought about school news. People say we are brain washing children by having them go to Church with us???????
I love that Alyssa uses her own brain. I am sad that so many others do not! There needs to be a revolution of a new kind in America. We need to take back our families! One sure way is to continue having opportunities for discussion at home without distractions from the very liberal media. Utah, which is just a fly by state, even had political ads coming out of our ears. So glad that's over. But I have never been so frightened, ever, for the next four years. Everyone I know feels that way. It is still amazing to me that the country has fallen so far. All we can do now is pray, and watch, and defend our homes. You're doing a great job!
(Love, love, love! all the election fun you did with the kids.)
You did so many fun things! We didn't do anything. It has been very interesting to see the opinions Abi comes up with just from seeing ads on tv and the computer. She doesn't watch much live tv- mostly netflix- but she still gets ads on some of the kids sites.
Her school had an election for two books which I thought was cute. But I have been worried about her education too. Her homework is so easy that she finishes it in about 30 seconds and every day we ask her if she learned anything new and she always says no except for Spanish.
I have never been so disappointed about an election. I have no idea how anyone can think he has done a good job. But, now we deal with it. I am scared. But I also think it is a sign of the times.
That is a good definition of what i felt as well. My soul iced over. I just felt dead inside. And then that fear of what is going to happen to my family. But I have to know that as long as I am doing all I can and teaching my family the rest I can leave to my Heavenly Father. We can't forget He is in control of everything and in the end the righteous will prevail. It is so hard, I know, but I just have to keep telling myself that. Pretty soon we will have a nation full of pot heads, who are having abortions all the time and getting married to whomever or whatever they want. It will get so crazy before it get better.
Julie, They are telling kids outright what political opinions to have at school and I am sure they will be gunning for religion soon. The media is also giving them a one sided message so I was surprised and proud when Alyssa started to see the gaps in their logic. I feel like I need to start doing FHE lessons on the founding fathers and the constitution.
Cheryl, I agree about the sign of the times. And about school. My kids never even get homework and the family system they are using is a disaster. Alyssa is basically re-doing 4th grade and it was too easy the first time around.
Kory, It amazes me that people vote just based on who had liberal social views and dismissed the economy altogether. Scary!
I completely agree with you on the family system. I thought maybe it would work out if they were putting kids with other kids their same level (like they said it was going to be) but it is not like that at all. All of the first graders and second graders at Abi's school are together. It makes no sense.
I'm sure if she is bored and not being challenged most of the second graders are even more so.
I agree with your post completely! It crazy the way the schools "teach" this now days. Different from when we were in school. My kids were allowed to "vote" at school. Romney won!!! Sad that it didn't turn out that way in the real elections. :(
I LoVE what you did! I want to still these ideas for every election. :)
Couldn't have said it better, my soul has iced over and just numb inside. Mike issued an official "Statement from the Compound Advisory Board" on FB which basically says we are going off the grid and removing ourselves from the system. A few weeks ago I would have laughed, but now I'm on Team Hawley Compound. I am very afraid for what is yet to come, and I truly don't know if we will get America back in my lifetime. Yes, we must pray and often for our leaders and beloved country.
See how fun you are even on election day! Jack had a mock election at school and kept saying he didn't want Baracko to win.
The ads were overwhelming here I can only imagine what a swing state would have!
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