As a child, I was enchanted by the Little House series. I devoured each book countless times (except for Farmer Boy—who cares about Almanzo?). I was also a devoted viewer of the TV show. My sister and I often pretended to be characters from the stories, at least until Mary grew up and moved away. Being the older sibling meant I had to play Mary, which was less exciting since she lived far away from Laura, Nellie, and the rest of the gang. Nevertheless, Little House was a significant part of my childhood.
This past winter, I revisited the entire series and followed it up with Pioneer Girl, the annotated memoir of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The books were just as delightful as I remembered, and I relished re-encountering all the characters and their pioneering adventures across the west.
One evening, just before Christmas, I was shivering through The Long Winter when I remembered I needed to switch my laundry. My washer and dryer are in the basement, which is perpetually chilly. As I stood there, burdened with cold, damp laundry, I couldn’t help but think, “Ma Ingalls would think I’m a jerk right now.”
Since that epiphany, I’ve been accompanied by my Inner Ma, who reminds me to keep my complaints in check when they veer into first-world problem territory. Here are some recent moments where Inner Ma set me straight:
- Me: Ugh, we’re out of salted butter! I’ll have to use unsalted on my English muffin.
Inner Ma: When we moved from Wisconsin to Kansas, we had no butter until Charles traded for a cow. And that cow nearly kicked him in the head when he tried to milk it! - Me: Another snow day? Seriously?
Inner Ma: We endured a winter filled with relentless blizzards, and the entire town nearly starved because the trains couldn’t deliver supplies. - Me: My son’s glasses are so bent and scratched; I really need to get him new ones, but I dread going to the Lenscrafters nearby.
Inner Ma: My daughter lost her sight, and we had to send her away to Iowa to finish her education. We didn’t see her for nearly a year! - Me: My husband has another business trip. I wish he didn’t have to travel so much.
Inner Ma: My husband moved me thousands of miles away from my home and family more than once, and I had to churn my own butter! - Me: My bra is making me sweaty.
Inner Ma: I wore corsets under long-sleeved dresses that covered me from neck to ankles. - Me: Why is this app upgrade taking so long?
Inner Ma: We got old magazines sent from Back East every once in a while. - Me: The deer keep munching on my rosebushes!
Inner Ma: When we lived in Minnesota, we faced three years of grasshopper infestations that destroyed all our crops. - Me: Ugh, the porta-potties at the park are disgusting.
Inner Ma: Our outhouse wasn’t any better, especially when the wind blew just right. - Me: What is that noise outside? Is that cats making noise?
Inner Ma: What is that noise? Is it a bear trying to eat our livestock? - Me: Great. Now I have to skip the gym because the kids have a dentist appointment.
Inner Ma: We didn’t have dentists on the prairie. And for exercise, I churned butter.
I wish I could say that my Inner Ma has made me less of a jerk. Unfortunately, I still find myself complaining about app updates and sweaty bras. However, I now have the wisdom to recognize how trivial my complaints are. As much as I cherish the Little House stories, I wouldn’t want to experience pioneer life firsthand. The mere thought of churning butter is enough to send me running. Nevertheless, it’s helpful to check in with Ma and the rest of the Little House family for perspective when life becomes overwhelming. Parenting in the 21st century can be tough, but at least we have indoor plumbing and encounter squirrels instead of bears.
For more insights on parenting and navigating challenges, you can explore resources on home insemination and pregnancy at American Pregnancy and Make A Mom.