Because everyone loves a good story
Rolling Stones: Little House, Part 2
Sometimes it seems like my mom is the last of a dying breed.
This woman grows and cans her own veggies. Like, lots of veggies. She makes jellies, jams, and homemade bread. She uses cast iron and whole wheat. But also, she sews. And knits. And spins wool into yarn to knit with it. And for a while, she raised the goats to get them shorn so she could spin the fiber into yarn and knit a sweater out of it.
Reinventing the wheel is her forte.
Furthermore, she scrubs her wooden floor on hands and knees. She actually reads and heeds the Farmer’s Almanac. She wakes up before the sun every day. If sheer determination counts for anything, she will outlive us all.
And me? Well, not to brag, but I’ve canned apple butter a couple of times.
NOT-SO-DISTANT PAST
Know what’s crazy? The fact that living like my mom seems crazy to us now, when even twelve-year-old girls could do all of that and so much more just over 100 years ago. The times, they are a-changin’. So last time I gave you a quick rundown of the Little House plots, but today I want to showcase the inspiring (and unattainable) lifestyle of the Ingalls family—specifically, their character qualities, manners, and work ethic.
CHARACTER QUALITIES
Keep in mind that these stories are set around the 1880’s. That’s just over 140 years ago…a mere blip on earth’s timeline. But it’s amazing to read about the way the Ingalls’ family spent their days and the skills they took for granted.
Pa Was Handy
When I was in middle school, my parents built their own house. Now, when I say that, I obviously mean that they bought the supplies and asked friends, family, and professionals to help construct the building. But when Pa Ingalls built a house, he alone chopped the trees, cut the logs, constructed the walls, framed out the windows and doors, made a fireplace and chimney, and even created a door on wooden hinges. And this was just the first house he built. He proceeded to build a new one each time they moved.
And they moved a lot.
Ma Was Industrious
Ma Ingalls was able to use every square inch of any slaughtered animal. She cooked three square meals a day from scratch, whether over a fire, on a rudimentary stove, or in a fancy cast iron oven. She sewed all their clothes, both functional and ornamental. She made sure the girls were on track with their academics at home. She cleaned the whole house every day, even making sure to sweep the floors—the dirt floors.
And she trained her girls to help with all of this while they were still little. Wise woman.
The Family Was Resourceful
The Ingalls family didn’t have much, but they used every molecule of every supply. They made head cheese out of animal scraps and even ate the pig’s tail. They wore clothes until they were threadbare, and then they sewed them into bedsheets. They made Christmas gifts for each other out of old buttons, ribbons, and even the feathers of a swan that Pa accidentally shot. And their resourcefulness bred thankfulness—good weather, enough food, and a warm house were seen as the blessings they are.
MANNERS
Manners for Kids
Laura and her sisters knew what was expected of them from their earliest years, and they usually didn’t waste time in protest. The children couldn’t speak at the table unless Ma or Pa asked them a question first. Girls also weren’t supposed to run, talk loudly, or draw attention to themselves. Instead, they were expected to murmur, wear corsets, keep their bonnets on, and never complain. I like to imagine the Ingalls watching an interaction between parent and child in the candy aisle of Walmart today. What a learning experience that would be.
Manners for Adults
Ma and Pa were expected to remain calm and reasonable at all times. They didn’t show emotion by crying, raising voices, using strong language, or even expressing surprise, fear, or alarm. Ma didn’t like chit-chat or speculation because discussion doesn’t change facts. While their manners seem stoic to the point of unhealthy today, they got one thing right: they respected each other. They never betrayed disappointment or distrust in each other, even when it was warranted. Now that’s admirable.
WORK ETHIC
Discipline
Discipline was just a way of life for the Ingalls family. They were up with the sun for chores and housework. They cooked, cleaned, worked, and studied all day. Laura worked extra hard to qualify for a teaching certificate. She memorized the whole American History timeline as well as mastering mental long division, sentence parsing, spelling books, and countless orations. She got her first teaching job at the age of 15.
Let’s not talk about what I actually remember from high school, ok?
Relationships
Despite different personalities and struggles, the Ingalls family really did enjoy each other’s company. Since the kids didn’t expect to act out and get away with it, their household was orderly and peaceful. Because Ma and Pa didn’t waste time nagging each other, their relationship brought security. Although they lived in near-isolation for many years, they didn’t resent the lack of outside relationships.
This blissful state of affairs may have been more common back in the 1880’s, but it certainly wasn’t universal. Laura contrasts her family with several others throughout the series—disrespectful and disobedient children, angry wives, miserable husbands, and unhappy families. But thankfully for Laura, the Ingalls family valued each other and the resulting peace.
MAKE AMERICA PRAIRIE AGAIN
While this antiquated lifestyle may seem impossible to recreate today, let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. The times, they are a-changin’, but we can choose what to preserve. I mean, if homesteading can make a comeback, why not industrious habits and respectful families? It’s worth a shot.
And hey, if worse comes to worse and your crops are consumed by critters or your biscuits are burnt, you can still sit back in your recliner while Grubhub delivers your deep dish pizza. After all, it’s 2022. There’s no need to live like cave men.
One Comment on “Rolling Stones: Little House, Part 2”
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Amazing to think of the changes in 140 years! Never stopped and thought about the “progress” in such a short time. The Ingalls family was certainly admirable! The discipline and character is still attainable. We will never go back to the lifestyle, though. My spirit longs for the Ingall family values!