Vivian turned theven today. (That’s “seven” for those who still have their front teeth.) It’s well-documented that she’s become fascinated with American presidential history over the last year, to the point of starting a collection in her bedroom. Included: a Herbert Hoover bobblehead, a pocket-sized Constitution, and a vintage 80s book entitled, The First Ladies: From Martha Washington to Barbara Bush. 

So to commemorate her special day, we spent Saturday and Sunday visiting some local hot spots. “Vivian’s Historic Birthday Weekend” included a trip to Lecompton,  which, as you know, is the birthplace of the Civil War. Then, we headed to Topeka for a tour of the State Capitol. And we concluded with a visit to the Kansas Museum of History. Throw in a little pepperoni pizza, hotel swimming, and a legion of good-sported family members—and by all accounts, ‘twas a success.

I must say…seeing Viv’s eyes light up at Lecompton’s Territorial Capital Museum when she learned that we were standing in the exact location where Ike’s parents, David and Ida Eisenhower, were married…well, it fulfilled every wish I’ve ever cast into the universe for a nerdish child.

It’s an interesting time to parent a presidential enthusiast.  When we’re not playing endless games of “I’m Thinking of Someone” (hint: it’s a president)…or being challenged with some newly acquired trivia (“Which President blamed his farts on the Secret Service?”)…we field a lot of questions about what makes a good president. This leads to dialogue about how presidents are people, and no person is perfect. We discuss how hard it is to agree on where our family should go out to eat, so imagine how difficult it is to get an entire country to agree to something. We determine that being presidential means you’re always thinking about how you can help people.  But most of all, we talk about empathy and kindness, and how the best presidents—the best people, for that matter—have both.

Vivian says she wants a seat in the Oval Office one day.  Whether that’s because she likes the idea of being presidential, or because “you get to be a bobblehead, Suz!” (hint: it’s the latter), she’ll always have my vote.

Incidentally, it was Gerald Ford.