A Must-Do For All Moms - And It's Easier Than Choking Down Broccoli!

As a parent, a mother especially, we have the responsibility of setting an example for our kids – even when we don’t want to. So, yes, we eat the broccoli on our plate even though we think it’s like eating tiny trees. We patiently go over math facts and check homework even when we are so exhausted we think we might collapse. We watch our language when we really want to let the driver who cut us off know where he can go and exactly how he can get there. We do a lot of things that we really don’t want to do simply because we know that we are always under surveillance. Some of the sacrifices mothers have made for their children fill me with awe. But one small, simple act – no - a right, which was fought hard to obtain, is rarely passed on from mother to child. Why that is I have never quite understood. As important as teaching nutrition, education and manners, our kids are missing out on something that could literally change their futures. And we as moms have only ourselves to blame. Women went to jail, suffered humiliation and prejudice and even had their very lives threatened for us to be able to claim this one simple and very American right. So moms – have you shown your children and the rest of the country that you are grateful for the sacrifices of the moms who came before you? When was the last time you exercised your right to vote?


I am not a very political person. I don’t listen to talk radio, read the op-eds in newspapers or magazines or pay attention to the billion political television ads that are rude and annoying. When there was announcement my senior year of high school about signing up for a voter’s registration card I went only because you got out of class to do so. But while I was there, the man that took my form said something to me that really made an impression and made me think about the importance of voting. He was an elderly gentleman, with a VFW hat perched on his balding head. He looked me straight in the eyes and very seriously informed me that by becoming a registered voter I had the right to vote in every election and the responsibility as a citizen to do so, especially as a woman. This was a privilege that many people around the world do not have. Many Americans died in order for me to walk into a polling place and cast my vote without fear. If I were to sign the form to gain a voter’s registration card I was saying that I would not take voting for granted. I signed my form and I have voted in almost every election ever since.

I have noticed in the 23 plus years that I have had the privilege to vote, that I am usually one of the very few, especially during primaries. Most of the time I am the youngest and even though I have gotten older, I still seem to trial my fellow voters by a couple of decades. I usually try to bring at least one of my kids to show them that voting is a big deal and hopefully they will take their right to be heard seriously when it is their time. Before I go, I do a little research on the candidates on independent web sites and look at their voting records. Then I bring my list of the candidates that I want to vote for and let my child help me find the names on the ballot. I tell them why I am voting for the particular person. It is shameful for me to think that the group of moms that were gathered at the bus stop that morning most likely had no idea who was even running to represent them and probably have no idea where they need to go to vote.

So moms (and dads) I challenge you to re-think your duty as an American and vote next Tuesday or whenever your next election is. Whether it’s local or statewide – get to know the people who want to be your voice. Decide on who is the best person that shares your views and values and know exactly why you want to vote for them. Share your thoughts with your kids and ask them their opinion as well. Bring them with you when you vote and explain why it is such an important part of our history and freedoms. Take the time to honor those who literally gave their lives for you to be able to have the right to choose.

The 19th Amendment states “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Teach your daughters and your sons to not take for granted the privilege that many around the world would die to have. After all, if you can choke broccoli down with a smile on your face, you can most surely show your children (and your spouse and your neighbors) that you are a responsible American willing to set the example for others to follow. Sometimes we have to do things we really don’t want to do. Don’t let voting be one of them.