President Who? (A conversation with Leland)

After picking up Leland from preschool on Tuesday, I headed to a friend's house to watch the Inauguration events. Our conversation went as follows:

Ashley: Today is a very special day. There is a new President of the United States.
Leland: I know, President Obama.
Ashley: Who taught you his name?
Leland: I learned it at preschool today
Ashley: (me being grateful for a wonderful preschool teacher)
Leland: But, I told my teacher that we already have a new President.
Ashley: Oh really, who is that?
Leland: President Monson
Ashley: President Monson is the leader of our church, President Obama is the leader of our country.

Then, that evening, Chuck took Leland and Lucy out to dinner for a little daddy/daughters date. During dinner, there were lots of televisions in the place recapping the inauguration.

Leland: [turning to Chuck] That is President Obama.
Chuck: Wow, that is right. Did you learn that at school today?
Leland: Yes
Chuck: Did you watch it on tv?
Leland: Yes

A little later, they ran into Leland's preschool teacher, Miss Julie.
Chuck: Did you watch the inauguration today at school?
Miss Julie: No
Chuck: Well, Leland was talking about President Obama, so I figured...
Miss Julie: Oh, that is because we talked about President Obama today. But she corrected me and said that we already had a new president named something else. I cannot remember... starts with an M...
Chuck: [laughing] Monson?
Miss Julie: YES!
Chuck: [still laughing] President Monson is the new President and Prophet of our Church.
Miss Julie: Oh, how cute... she was very sure of herself.

Chuck then asked Miss Julie more about how Leland behaves at school. Whenever we ask, Miss Julie raves about Leland, so he pressed for more specifics on what we can work on as her parents.

Miss Julie: She is such a quick learner, I never have any problems with teaching her.
Chuck: [still pressing for more] What is she like socially?
Miss Julie: She is very kind and friendly, but "sometimes she gets a big hip-check thing going on.

Yes, Leland has learned that it is wrong to push or grab people's toys, but she figures if she hip-checks them out of the way while talking nicely, it does not count as being bad. We are working on it.