Are caucuses too burdensome for parents with young children?

My husband, Nick, and I are 30-somethings with an almost 3-year-old kiddo.

Our daughter, Maddie, is generally pretty awesome and flexible with shifts to the family schedule. But evening activities pose a special threat. Evening activities encroach upon that sacred realm known as bedtime.

For parents with young children, a 7 p.m. caucus is like feeding a gremlin after midnight.

We opted to risk it.

I packed Maddie's little backpack with snacks and other entertainments, trusting there would be a few other kids in line and plenty of positive human activity at our neighborhood caucus last night.

We'd probably be fine. Besides, I'm not above apps and screen time. Our family has survived many a plane ride at this point. I figured we're seasoned pros when it comes to distraction.

We left the house a little later than hoped and headed over to East Side Neighborhood Services in northeast Minneapolis.

Poll: Should Minnesota stop caucusing and start voting with an all-day primary?

I love the building where we vote and participate in so many other community activities. The first East Side Neighborhood services building opened in 1915 to serve immigrant, refugee and low-income individuals and families.

As a first-generation American, I feel especially welcome there. My mother immigrated to this country from Poland and my Father from Sri Lanka.

When I vote I can't help but think of my parents and the separate paths they took to the states, years before they met and long before I was born. For me, it's a privilege to participate in the voting process. Perhaps that explains why I was so intent on caucusing. My vote is worth the risk of a public meltdown.

Early in the evening we found ourselves waiting in line behind four older Somali women who smiled at Maddie.

Then came a man who updated the crowd on the timing and the process, inviting those who wanted to serve as delegates to head downstairs. Those who wanted to simply "vote and go" were instructed to remain in line.

A volunteer was following him around, translating for all the Somali families in line, including the four women near us. The women told the volunteer they wanted to do both, not one or the other.

My heartbeat surged as I thought of my own family. How exciting it must have been for my mom and dad to vote in their first elections after earning their American citizenship.

Standing in a long line at the end of a long day can be challenging even for adults. With Maddie, we've been "practicing our patience" by standing in line for ice cream, at the store, at restaurants, you name it.

But standing in a three-story line that wound from floor to floor in an overheated building? That's a lot to ask of a kid who's still learning to "use her words." For example, she very recently mastered "frustrated" and loves expressing that sentiment.

But not once last night!

Maddie and I passed the time by wandering around and looking at art. We went potty and sang "Daniel Tiger" songs. We ate snacks. We drew in her little book and practiced letters.

Then came the announcement that our wait would be a little longer because they "literally ran out of everything."

We were still on the second floor. It was well past 7 p.m. Nick and I wondered how long we could keep waiting.

But we stayed the course, buoyed by the pleasant attitudes of our neighbors and the amusement of all the other kids in line.

An hour after arriving, we finally found ourselves casting our ballots. We received our forms, placed our votes, and even chipped in for printing extras for the hundreds of people behind us.

Sure, we took a big risk bringing our kiddo to caucus. We got lucky. I've since heard stories from other parents who weren't able to participate. Some left without caucusing because their kids couldn't handle the long, often disorganized lines.

It raises questions about accessibility. How can we make this process work for everyone?

But I can't complain. Maddie behaved beautifully. Our neighbors were cheerful and patient. And our experience was very positive.

I'm grateful to live in a country where we can participate in this process.

I'm also thankful that Maddie's bedtime, almost two hours delayed, went smoothly. She fell asleep saying "I bote today."

Jamie Schumacher moved to Minnesota from sunny Southern California and everyone enjoys asking her why. She lives in northeast Minneapolis with her husband, her amazing daughter, two rescue pups and a whiny cat. More information: purenoumena.org.

ABOUT 10,000 Takes: 10,000 Takes is a new digital section featuring first-person essays about life in the North Star State. We publish narratives about love, family, work, community and culture in Minnesota.