We’re coming down the home stretch, my friends. I’m talking about the election. As I write this, two debates are over and we’re less than 30 days away from electing a new President. Whether you’re voting Democrat, Republican or anything in between, we have a huge obligation to educate our children about this incredibly important process. Even small children can get in on the fun - my kindergartener is “voting” at school, how cute is that? Here are a few ways to help bring the election into your home (mudslinging aside, ok?):

Reading - My girls recognize both Barack Obama and John McCain by face, but it’s often tough to help them understand the whats, whys and hows about the election. We talk about who the President is, voting, and why their faces are plastered everywhere. The book “Duck For President” is a hilarious story of a farm duck’s fast rise to the Presidency. Even if it doesn’t explain electoral votes in kid language, they get a big laugh watching Duck make it to the Oval Office in his own style. Here’s a short list of books for various age groups that help explain elections and the voting process.

Get connected - Face it, your kids are SO connected to the internet. Use it to your advantage! There are many resources on the web for all ages. Time For Kids has an amazingly interactive site, including biographies of all the candidates, student reporters, and a great “Electionary” with definitions from “ballot initiative” to “war chest”. For bios of each and every President, the American President site is the first place to visit (my girls love to look at what Presidents looked like SO many years ago). Dave Leip’s Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections has maps, information and election results from 1789 to the present! And of course, steer your teens to Rock the Vote, for their amazing Election Center, videos and info only your crazy teenagers can relate to.

Hands on experience - My parents both worked, so on Election Day they took me with them to the voting booth in the evening. Helping my parents check off their choices and pulling the big lever to record their votes and open the curtain was a huge thrill for me! My grandmother was also a polling station volunteer, and assisted voters with checking in, often letting me sit with her and watch. I truly believe that these experiences helped shaped me into the political junkie I am today. So, if you can, take your kids with you to vote, and show them how exercising their right is a gift!