Election day

Election day. What does that mean to you, the average American citizen?
Does it imply a sense of duty, a sense of pride at our democratic republic?
Does it invoke images of great men leading the charge for a betterment of our society and great country?
Do you stand a little taller as you leave your voting place, knowing you have contributed to the workings of this great Nation?
Do you weep when you consider the many who have lived and died, fought and challenged in order to make this nation great?
Do you exercise your right to choose who represents you?
Do you wear your "I Voted Today" sticker with pride?
Do you make sure that you are informed about the candidates and what they stand for?
Do you participate in elections because you are grateful to be part of this, the greatest country on God's green earth?

But most importantly, do you have a babysitter so that you can Get Out and Vote without a gaggle of children hanging on you?

If you are one of the babysitter-less, this blog is for you.

It is for the mother or father who doesn't let 3 cranky children who have been forced to wait in line and be quiet and not kick the man behind you while you try and decipher the last of the initiatives, get in the way of them doing their civic duty.

This is for the people who drag their twins down to their voting place last minute because their neighbor called and cancelled because she is sick with the flu.

This is for the mother of a newborn who tried to time the feedings so that she could vote and be done before 2 hours were up only to have to wait in line longer than she expected and now the baby is screaming and won't stop and people are giving her dirty looks but she doesn't want to get out of line and she has no idea how to breastfeed standing there with all those people giving her the stink eye.

This is for the grandma who watches her grandbabies so her daughter can go to school and the 2 year old has an "accident" because the potty training is just recent and she forgot to take her before they got in line and mom didn't pack them a change of clothes.

This is for the parents who wait until the kids are in bed so that they can take turns and end up barely making it because Timmy couldn't sleep without his blanket which he left in the car that dad is driving to the voting place and had to turn around and bring it back so that the kid would stop screaming!

And this is for every other voter who glares at a parent or grandparent or aunt or uncle or nanny who had to bring the kids. Please be kind, please be patient and for crying out loud, make sure you get out and vote!