Our Founding Fathers Were Not Girls

 

 

Well, J. suffered a costume backfire.

 

We'd been watching John Adams and it sparked his interest in taking his pirate hat and going Patriot: dressing up like they did.  Unfortunately. with my crafty-ness he looked like Paul Revere, John Adams, and Ben Franklin all in one.

 

I was so happy he was learning about the beginnings of our country and we got caught up in

all of the excitement!

 

The tension and hope the people had, the canons and artillery lining up in preparation for war. Tall, and ever so wise. George Washington, in his old age, accepting the duty to oversee and gaurd

the men who would bring about Freedom.

 

 

 

 

 

The costume came to life as we pulled out the dress up box, scissors, paper, and old clothes.

The yarn down the back of his head, tied off with cloth looked bloody authentic.

 

(John Adams. Also not a girl.)

 

-The curled up white paper- not so much, I admit. But it was so dang cute and I didn't get a picture!

 

Halloween was Saved! 

 

However, tonight as we pow-wowed at bed time he told me about the HUGE disappointment it was to be a Founding Father at school today.

 

"So and so told me that Ben Franklin wasn't a girl." he said with his arms back behind his head, looking up at the ceiling in his room. 

 

 

Ah, yes. T,V, Elementary is not  Montesorri or Private Academy.

And I am not the average mom.

 

Did you hit the kid over the head with the Constitution and tell him WHO you were?? I queried.

 

Then the guilt set and empathy set in.

 

Why would a mother send her child to school dressed like important figures in history when they have NO idea what those people looked like?? They do know that our Founding Fathers were NOT girls. So that's good.

 

Then he had to tell me how his curls lost their curl and started to straighten out (cheap tape) as he walked through the halls for the customary "showing off  of costumes" in front of the other kids.

 

cringe.

 

"Mom," he said as kindly as possible, "I had to walk passed the 6th graders,"

 

ugh. My heart sunk. I felt so bad I didn't tell him earlier to just point out the acne on their faces if they said anything.

 

So what did you do? I asked- hoping he recited outloud The Declaration of Independence I'd copied and scrolled for him.

 

"I went out to recess and tore off the paper while saying I hate you, mom."

 

totally understandable.

 

"There even was a girl there dressed up as a football player." he said

empasizing the fact he was jealous and some innate feeling of his manhood on the line

wearing a customary congressional wig from the 1700's seemed to hover in the air.

 

I assure you he complained to me with malice towards none.  Just the recap of honest feelings.

 

Have I mentioned on here the special bond J. and I have?

 

I mean it takes a lot to be able to kiss your mother goodnight, have a bit of a laugh, and see that we are lucky to have what we do, and that the east coast didn't get any candy tonight after she sent you to school dressed up as a Founding Mother- I mean Father.