OK, a cute story with a caveat: We are not indoctrinating our kids. In fact, we rarely if ever talk politics around them for one simple reason: they ask too many questions. An aside to explain this. After the earthquake in Haiti, Edward had questions (probably brought on by a discussion at school) about what happened to the people whose houses were destroyed. I told him that people would help to rebuild. Like who? he asked. Well, volunteers from our country, people like the Red Cross, and the government there. What's a government? he asks. So, I tried, as simply as possible, to explain representative government to a four year old. I dare say he has a better grasp of it now than most of his fellow citizens.

With that in mind, we don't talk politics. He knows who Obama is, mostly because it was a name and face that was hard to avoid during the campaign (plus, when you're 4, "Obama" is fun to say). So, Edward got a ruler at school today with all of the presidents pictures on it. He showed me tonight, and asked if the last one was Obama (the photos are very small, otherwise I'm sure he would know). I told him it was. Then, to test his memory, I asked if he knew who the president was before Obama. He didn't remember, so I told him it was President Bush.

"He didn't do a very good job, right?" Edward asks.
"Well," I say, surprised and not wanting to tread into this mine field, "what makes you say that?"
"Am I right? He didn't do a very good job?"
"Some people didn't think so. Others did."
"Did you think so?"

Adhering to the rule not to discuss politics or religion in polite company, I'll end our exchange here (though it didn't go much further). I'm not sure what to make of Edward's budding punditry; perhaps he absorbs "The Daily Show" by osmosis when we watch after he goes to bed. Regardless, it is just the latest in a long line of tough questions from him that will only escalate as he learns to grasp more of what goes on around him.

I'll leave you with a couple of cute (and tasteful) photos that Mary got at bathtime tonight: