The following is the account of my family’s (all six of us) experience on election night. I know that many diaries like this were already posted but I learned a lot about my family that night.
As background my wife and I are die hard Progressive Democrats and my wife was for Barack throughout the Primary Season and I switched to him after the New Hampshire Primary, when it became clear that Edwards was on the slow boat to nowhere. We also have 4 kids (5 year old boy girl twins, a 2 year old son and a seven month old daughter.
Anyway, Tuesday started like any other. I got up at 5:15 AM to get to work. My 5 year-old son, Sam got up at 5:55 AM and came downstairs. When NPR announced the time is now 6:00 AM, I yelled to my wife, "You know what that means, the polls are open." My son asks, "Today we vote, and will find out the winner of Barack Obama and John McCain." Sam got very into the campaign this year and watched MSNBC with us to see who is winning. He also got tired of the race and kept asking for the last two weeks, "When do we vote?"
So, Tuesday I chat nervously with the canvassers at my train station and off to work I go. Tuesday night my family meets me at the train and off to the polling place we go. Sam comes into the booth with me, and I hold him up and show him the buttons to push and he casts my vote for Obama. My five year old daughter does the same with my wife.
After the polling place we head directly to the New Jersey Democratic State Committee Party to celebrate Obama and Lautenberg. My daughter and my 2 year old are just interested in acting like kids (running around, and eating the hot dogs). Sam ran around too, but when I told him, "Hey, remember you pushed the button for Congressman Pallone? There he is." He wanted to come with me to meet the congressman.
With four kids at a political event we are a spectacle, my wife and I got interviewed by WNYC, & WBGO Radio and the New Jersey Jewish News. At 9:00 when most of the early stated were being closed, my daughter fell asleep in the stroller, the 2 year-old is sleeping in the pile of popcorn we created on the floor, and Sam is cheering with the room every time a state is called. He would say, "What did he win dad? Where is that?"
When we got thin into pajamas at 9:30 in the men’s room Ohio was called, we heard the ball room erupt and Sam says, "Can I stay up with you to see Obama win?" Of course.
When we got home we put the other three to bed Sam moves to the love seat and settles in to watch MSNBC with my wife and I. My parents call, my in-laws call. Sam is watching. At 10:30 Sam asks me, "Dad, how do I become a Democrat?" I said, "Sam if you want to be one, then you is a Democrat." He flashes a tired smile my wife beams.
At 11:00 the race is called, my wife and I scream we turn to Sam and he is out cold, dead to the world asleep. I try to wake him unsuccessfully and carry him to bed.
Wednesday morning we get the kids up for school and tell them that Obama won. They yell and party. My wife takes pictures of them in their pajamas with the Obama lawn sign. Wednesday night I come home from work with three newspapers, and my daughter and the 2 year-old smile, Sam pours over them looking at the pictures.
I never realized how much kids pick up on their parent’s interests and beliefs. My son really got into this year and seemed to understand what was happening.
I am glad for two things I learned from my children that night: (1) the fact that there is an African American President elect means nothing to them (because to them Obama is just another human being), (2) the brain wash job is complete.