I have been celebrating all day with my girls.  We’ve been dancing, singing, talking, enjoying.  We had the priviledge of enjoying the beach on this sunny California day.

Will.i.am’s “It’s a new Day” was pounding out of the speakers tonight when I asked my oldest daughter (6 y/o), “Do you understand why it’s a big deal that Barrack Obama is our new president?”

She said, “No”.

I said, “It’s because he is the first (and I raised my eyebrows) black President.”

She said, “So.”

I can’t say I was too surprised by her reaction, but I did feel a bit of guilt.  Should she know better?  I am conflicted.

On one hand her saying “so” meant to me that she was thinking, “of course mom, why wouldn’t he be president?”  Her knowing of the world is still “anything’s possible”. So perhaps her lack of excitement or even wonder about it, was really her way of saying, “duh mom, anyone who’s as popular as Barack Obama should be President.”

On the other hand, it’s sad that she doesn’t understand the sheer weight of this moment in time.  The moment that actually has opened the door to “anything really is possible”.

Should I feel guilty, exceptionally white, or conflicted because my daughter does not know or understand the plight of black people in her country.  My husband of course is little help.  Though he gets it, he’s not American.  In his country all of the President’s are black!  All of his teachers are black.  All of his friends are black. 97% of the population is black! Of course logically, and intellectually he gets it.  But it’s not the same.  And should it be?  Is it necessary that my daughter knows the history of African American’s to appreciate the moment?