Monday, July 19, 2010

3 year old politics: 'Where's Kevin Rudd?'

'That's Julia Gillard', I say, as the PM appears on TV in full electioneering mode, 'she's the Prime Minister.'

Bear, 3 and a half years old: 'Where's Kevin Rudd?'

I'm stumped. I want to give her a neutral take, let her get all the positives from seeing a woman in a position of power. Despite my own disappointment at the consummate sell-out she, and Labor, now represent (oh and wasn't that dirty little ad with the border security garbage in it just an insult to the intelligence of the much feted masses?)...

'He's not Prime Minister any more...'

'Why?'

'Because he, um, his polls were bad, he was having some problems.... *thoughtful pause* ...so he stopped being Prime Minister and now it's Julia Gillard.'

...

'WHY?'

....

'I don't know love. But it's good because she's the first woman to do this, so now girls can do it too.'

Bear thought about this in silence. She was processing something about change, the inadequacy of the explanation for Rudd's removal- why has this man who was on the TV and in the papers, who daddy said was pretty important, just disappeared? And perhaps: why is she the first, why would girls not be able to do everything boys can do?

It's the machine, lovvie, and now he's just a ghost therein....

...Oh and you can lovvie, you can, we're just coming out of the triassic now...

3 comments:

Mindy said...

Our seven year old cried when Rudd was taken down. A Kevin man to his toes. It's not any easier to explain to a seven year old. He thought it was most unfair to Kevin who hadn't finished having his go.

I have taken great pleasure in teaching my 4yo to say "No, we don't want Tony" in very serious tones. Got to enjoy an election campaign somehow.

Ann ODyne said...

oh dear. If she had been watching all that 'reality' TV that other children her age are soaked in, ie Dancing with Master Losers, she would understand the concept of being voted-off.

cristy said...

I tried to explain to Lily what had happened and she replied, "Why do they have to be so awkward?"