A Four-Year-Old Civics Lesson

I had a civics lesson with Brenna yesterday and it started with the question of princesses and "constitutional democracy" in Wreck-It Ralph. "She still wants to be a princess, though?" "No, she wants to have a democracy. That's where everyone gets to choose." "Does America have princesses?" Brenna asks. "We don't." "Who gets to be in charge of everyone?" "Everyone gets to be in charge. It's called a democracy." (She's still too young for me to explain special interest groups and jerrymandered seats in our representational democracy) "Then everyone gets to be a princess, even the boys." Apparently, my answer didn't satisfy her.