Plimoth Plantation
Good morning!
3 out of my 4 had a sleepover and Grandma's this weekend and aren't home yet. L is the only one home with me today and she has shared with me her resolve to (by the end of today) finish the second in a new chapter book series she has discovered and is burning through like nobody's business. She is in her room with the door closed, furiously turning pages. So I've got a minute here to blog before I try to get through a massive to-do list!
I'll start with last week. Phew. Last week. The election. I have never seen our country so divided (but then, I wasn't alive during the Civil War), and I have never seen one side get so thoroughly duped by... the polls? the media? I know this is not the time to poke fun, but I think SNL actually hit the nail on the head, although it was meant to be a parody:
Can I just also say as an aside that Dave Chappelle is hilarious? If you watch The Walking Dead and/or the Chappelle show, you MUST watch this. Cuz we all need a laugh right now.
I won't say much about all that, because the internet is full enough of it already, except to share the number one post that convinced me that many of my feelings of fear on that subject may be legitimate. My other big fear is that the next presidential administration might just succeed at destroying the planet for our grandchildren within the span of four years.
Buuuuuuut... I'm trying to go forward with a positive attitude and an open mind. Most of all I'm trying to remain hopeful in front of my girls. If nothing else, this has been a GREAT lesson in civics and government for our homeschool.
We didn't talk too terribly much about the candidates themselves, except to talk about Hillary being the first woman ever to run, and as we had been reading lots of books on women's suffrage, they were thrilled with the idea.
We had a brief conversation about immigration at one point as some questions about that were coming up from the girls (since we live in a community with a sizable Hispanic population). Then one day we were listening to Spotify and they were running pro-Hillary ads, which contained actual audio of some of the nasty things Trump has said (?????? I sort of question whoever made that decision with the possibility of children listening... luckily they left out the most graphic stuff) and that solidified the girls' decision in favor of Hillary.
On election morning, L's morning schoolwork was covered in pro-Hillary graffiti.
The next morning I googled the election outcome, found that my fears had come true, and then I read this helpful article. Then I shut off my phone for the rest of the day.
I broke the news to the girls, and they were disappointed to be sure. I talked briefly with them about the importance of kindness to people on all sides of these issues, and then we reviewed the concepts of checks and balances and the fact that America was founded on the idea that no one person should have absolute power. We watched No More Kings and Three Ring Government again. I mentioned while we were watching the part about the Pilgrims that I had hoped to take them to Plimoth Plantation at some point soon. They asked if we could go that day. With an entire free day stretching out before us I sort of jumped at the idea of not being home and close to the temptation of reading the onslaught of hate and bickering that was going down on Facebook and all over the internet.
So N packed us a lunch, I got the baby ready, and we went.
3 out of my 4 had a sleepover and Grandma's this weekend and aren't home yet. L is the only one home with me today and she has shared with me her resolve to (by the end of today) finish the second in a new chapter book series she has discovered and is burning through like nobody's business. She is in her room with the door closed, furiously turning pages. So I've got a minute here to blog before I try to get through a massive to-do list!
I'll start with last week. Phew. Last week. The election. I have never seen our country so divided (but then, I wasn't alive during the Civil War), and I have never seen one side get so thoroughly duped by... the polls? the media? I know this is not the time to poke fun, but I think SNL actually hit the nail on the head, although it was meant to be a parody:
Can I just also say as an aside that Dave Chappelle is hilarious? If you watch The Walking Dead and/or the Chappelle show, you MUST watch this. Cuz we all need a laugh right now.
I won't say much about all that, because the internet is full enough of it already, except to share the number one post that convinced me that many of my feelings of fear on that subject may be legitimate. My other big fear is that the next presidential administration might just succeed at destroying the planet for our grandchildren within the span of four years.
Buuuuuuut... I'm trying to go forward with a positive attitude and an open mind. Most of all I'm trying to remain hopeful in front of my girls. If nothing else, this has been a GREAT lesson in civics and government for our homeschool.
We didn't talk too terribly much about the candidates themselves, except to talk about Hillary being the first woman ever to run, and as we had been reading lots of books on women's suffrage, they were thrilled with the idea.
I loved C's drawing of Elizabeth Cady Stanton; you can't see it too well in this pic but it was great!
On election morning, L's morning schoolwork was covered in pro-Hillary graffiti.
N and L even stayed up until about 9 on election night, waiting to hear the news.
M and I stayed up until about 1. I slept fitfully after we turned off the news, knowing the girls would be very disappointed with the outcome, and feeling quite upset and afraid myself.
The next morning I googled the election outcome, found that my fears had come true, and then I read this helpful article. Then I shut off my phone for the rest of the day.
I broke the news to the girls, and they were disappointed to be sure. I talked briefly with them about the importance of kindness to people on all sides of these issues, and then we reviewed the concepts of checks and balances and the fact that America was founded on the idea that no one person should have absolute power. We watched No More Kings and Three Ring Government again. I mentioned while we were watching the part about the Pilgrims that I had hoped to take them to Plimoth Plantation at some point soon. They asked if we could go that day. With an entire free day stretching out before us I sort of jumped at the idea of not being home and close to the temptation of reading the onslaught of hate and bickering that was going down on Facebook and all over the internet.
So N packed us a lunch, I got the baby ready, and we went.
It was a peaceful, beautiful way to spend the day. The girls were so helpful, grateful, and well-behaved. They impressed me all day long with their intelligence, kindness, and insightful comments. It made me so proud to be their Mama. It made me hopeful.
There are days when I give in to the temptation of fear and I feel almost guilty that I have brought these four beautiful creatures into this terrible, uncertain world. But Wednesday was not one of those days, surprisingly. We were in a place that reminded me of the conflicts that have occurred throughout the ages, and the different ways in which humanity has risen to the challenge. We are happy and we are blessed and we are hopeful. I don't have time to say more than that (and I've probably said too much already) since L has finished her book (already!) and wants breakfast. I will simply leave you with a wish and a prayer that you all are finding peace in these days too.
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