Saturday, February 7, 2015

10 Life Lessons from Laura Ingalls Wilder

Happy Birthday to Laura Ingalls Wilder!


To celebrate her birthday, Harper Collins Children's books has shared their list of 10 Life Lessons from Laura Ingallas Wilder. This list is great! Check it out below: 

Be Flexible Laura may not have always had a say in where her family was moving, but going with the flow helped defined who she was. The ability to move with a situation and adjust is what made her a survivor and a symbol of the pioneer spirit.

Be resourcefulIn The Long Winter, an especially difficult winter puts the Laura and the people she loved in a dire situation. The thought of having no food and supplies is a somber one for a generation that grew up with a grocery store around the corner. However, seeing Laura and her family overcome showed readers that their own trials and tribulations could be surpassed.


Teachers are a gift
Laura Ingalls Wilder was a teacher first and it was something she loved doing. To this day, her stories educate millions of people on American Pioneer history. And, that we think is pretty remarkable.

“Tomboys” get ahead (OR just be you)
Half-Pint was a bit of a tomboy – she liked to run, fish and get dirty. Her sister Mary was slightly opposite. None of it mattered, they were both perfect they way they were. It was their unique personalities that helped their families and each other throughout their lives. 


Your father’s nickname for you is usually THE BEST
Pa Ingalls loved to call Laura, “Half-Pint” because she small and scrappy, and a legend was born. Case closed. Awesome nickname.

Have an adventurous spiritThe family proved that while life is hard, life is meant to be lived. Amidst good times and hardship, they kept moving even when it seemed like the world was against them – from the prairie to the Plum Creek to Dakota Territory. Having this adventurous spirit sustained the family and kept them moving!

You’re true love may be on the other side of the country (or world)
Laura lived on a prairie in undiscovered country out west.  Almanzo Wilder grew up on farm in upstate New York. Though the grew up a part from one another, they were destined to meet and find they had a lot more in common than they imagined. Thus, proving the world is the world is much smaller than we believe.


A home is more than a houseThis is a big one. It doesn’t matter if your house is a big or small, made of log or sod, or a covered wagon – it only matters who is there with you.

Family is EVERYTHING.The good, bad, sad, sweet – they experienced it all and got through it because of each other.

Your story is importantYou may not be a president or an inventor or a famous movie star, but your story is just as amazing and magical. Laura Ingalls Wilder and her “Little House” books told us an ordinary family story that became something extraordinary and proved we are all stars. History is made up everyday tales and ordinary heroes. So, go ahead tell your story and you might find something special and unexpected!


My Thoughts:
Reading through this list brought back some great memories from growing up, reading her Little House on the Prairie Books. This is such a great series. This list makes me want to sit down and read through the entire series. If only I had kept some of these books from when I was growing up. I'm thinking I need to celebrate Ms. Wilder's birthday by buying a new set of this series for my daughter and I to read together. Happy Birthday Ms. Wilder. Thank you for creating such a wonderful series, and introducing us to characters whom were very much apart of our childhoods.

* This list was taken from the post Harper Collins Children's shared here.

1 comment:

  1. Great post, great list - and GREAT MG BOOKS!!! Yes, to everything! :-)

    ReplyDelete

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~