dear girls

There are about a ba-jillion things I want to teach you.  Some are more important than others.  For instance,  if you ever have a stained coffee pot - you should know that swirling ice, salt, and a lemon wedge inside will clean it, but that's probably not as important as knowing something like - don't hold grudges.  Because grudges?  They're useless and only hurt you. But - that's a discussion for another day.  Today, I want to tell you a few things about politics.

Yes, politics.

You won't care about politics for a long time.  My first political memory was when I was in 4th grade and my teacher took a poll of who we each wanted to win the presidential race.  Bill Clinton, being from Arkansas, easily won our little class election, but I remember my teacher asking us why we voted for who we chose.  Most, if not all of us, answered "because that's who my parents are voting for"  And, you know what?  When you're 9 -that's probably ok.  But, my teacher's point was that we should never base our opinions just on what the people around us do - we need to learn to think for ourselves, and to think critically.

She was a great teacher.

Your Grandpa is a moderator - he is very good at navigating the waters of strong opinions and simultaneously not offending anyone and not compromising his points of view.  It's a skill, an art, perhaps, that not everyone has.  I remember when I was in middle school, he taught me that the best way to win an argument was to completely understand the other person's position.  You have to know the arguments against your point of view in order to effectively defend them.  This is how I convinced them to let me have my first kitten.  I wrote a long letter of all the arguments they had against my pet-ownership and provided counterpoints to those arguments.  In the end, they were left speechless and I  got a kitten.

(ok, maybe they wren't speechless, maybe they were stifling their laughter at my seriousness and dedication and desperate plea for a feline companion.  But, I got one in the end, so it matters not.)


I'm getting off track.

Here's what I want you to know.

When you grow up - don't accept what other people say without thinking about it.  Especially in the realm of politics.  If you like a candidate, know why you like them.  Also? and maybe more importantly? Know why other people don't.  Research things.  And just in case this is still an issue a decade from now - "research" is not the same as "google"

Be informed.  Be smart about your opinions.

And when you can do that?  When you know not only what you believe, but why?  You can stand your ground with confidence.

That being said, don't be afraid to listen to new information, or to change your mind.  Always be openminded and respectful of different points of view.  If you are informed, you won't be threatened by people who think differently than you.  And you will always be surrounded by people who think differently than you.  It is what makes this country so great.  It's ok to disagree with someone, as long as you know why you disagree with them and that you do so respectfully.

I will try to teach you these things. Both of you.  Because they're important.  A person who can think critically will do well in life.  So, file this away, and know that your daddy and I will do our best to raise you so that this comes naturally to you.

I'm sure it will.  You girls are pretty awesome.

Love,
mom