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And no, I am not talking about the election. And not even the fact that it is President’s Day. I’m talking about the Presidential Madness that has enveloped my nine year old son. He lives and breathes presidents like most boys do baseball players, hockey stars or soccer icons. It was a horrible shock when I had to tell him, “Sorry, honey, no there are not Presidential Trading Cards.” 
I mean really, who wants to end up with a collection of Millard Fillmores?
No, in our house it is all about the presidents. Presidential biographies. (Who knew rough and tumble Andrew Jackson had running water installed in the White House?) Presidential landmarks. (Any guesses who is buried in Grant’s Tomb? And that I am the worst mother in the world for not including this in our trip to NYC last fall.) Presidential exhibits, such as the current exhibit at the Museum of History and Industry here in Seattle. I had to promise in blood that I would take him during his Spring Break. No Disneyland for this kid–we are off to see Lincoln’s actual stovepipe hat. I believe that beats Thunder Mountain any day.
Nothing like being the go-to guy in the third grade on all matters presidential. Even his teachers defer to him. If I sound a little proud, believe me I am. I discovered my love of history by reading biographies when I was nine. Clara Barton, Florence Nightengale, Harriet Tubman, Nellie Bly. We should all have our heroes as we grow up. People who distinguished themselves and offer us a glimpse into what an ordinary person can do or become. Even Andrew Jackson. Because who doesn’t like their politics and politicians to be clean?
Who were your heroes growing up?
February 18th, 2008 at 3:48 pm · Link
Is it okay if my heroes were completely fake growing up? If so, then my heroes were: Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Monty Python, and James Bond. I was a weirdo.
February 18th, 2008 at 3:49 pm · Link
By the way… Are we going to be getting a preview of the new cover anytime soon? *Puss-in-Boots from Shrek eyes* Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease? Or maybe a wee hint?
February 18th, 2008 at 6:05 pm · Link
Preview of the new cover??? Wow, what a good idea. Considering I have it now. And it is really, really, cool. Oh, and you want to see it? Hang around 🙂
February 18th, 2008 at 9:53 pm · Link
Ohhhh, the teasing….
Looks like there’s another Boyle writer in-training. It’s awesome to see kids run with a topic till they’ve turned it inside out and come up with questions that would never occur to you.
My heroes growing up were from Enid Blyton books.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:11 pm · Link
I lOVED History especially English history during the Napoleaonic Wars as a kid. I also loved political science. My heros were jacky kennedy and hillary clinton.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:05 pm · Link
At 9 years old my hero’s were fictional, The Hardy Boys. Nancy Drew was OK but didn’t do enough to get dirty.
I never read biographies and only now am finding some interest in them and memoirs. (wink)
As a child, the only real people I was encouraged to learn about were the Catholic saints, which may explain a lot about my interests now. Some of those saints were ‘frequent flyers’ and none of them fit in with their ‘clan’ or aspired to something as great a leading a country or installing indoor plumbing.
A lot of the saints had issues, died brutally, lived alone and were tortured to give up on their inner truths. Yet this was what I was to aspire to be?
Give me fiction any day and I’m always on the hunt for something new in the news that is paranormal, alien or just plain woo-woo. Someday I may even learn to levitate.
Back to your post, your son is a wonder and I’d be totally happy to avoid Thunder Mountain for a real-life exhibit of stove-pipe hats.