For your eavesdropping pleasure
A real-life conversation/drama from the Hough home:
Lucy: Mama, let’s play that you’re Christopher Columbus and I’m Leif the Lucky.
Mama: But...you do know that Leif Ericson died hundreds of years before Columbus was born, right?
Lucy: I know. This is just pretend.
Mama (a.k.a. Columbus): Um, ok. Uh...what are you doing here, you red-headed young man? You don’t look like you’re from India.
Lucy (a.k.a. Leif): This isn’t India, silly! This is America! I found it first!
Columbus: Oh, okay.
Leif: (in a whisper) Mama, you are supposed to argue with me.
Columbus: Oh. Right. What are you talking about? I sailed here, to India! I discovered this land! Where’s the gold? Where are the spices?
Leif: There’s no spices! This isn’t India! It’s Vinland! I came here and I saw vins, that’s how I knew to call it Vinland!
Columbus: Well, what about the Indians? Weren’t they here first?
Leif: They’re not real Indians. Real Indians are...way different. But, um, you can call them that.
Columbus: Well, then, where’s my gold to take back to Spain?
Leif: I told you, there’s no gold. Only vins.
Columbus: I still think it’s India.
Leif: (rolling eyes) Listen. My parents took me in a rocket to outer space. They took me there so I could see what the whole world looked like, because there’s no good maps of it yet. I saw the world, and I know: the world is round. And this is not India. This is America. You’re in the wrong spot.
Columbus: Oh! Well, you must be right then. I’ll just take some of these potatoes and go back to Ferdinand and Isabella.
Leif: Wait! Mama! You’re supposed to keep arguing!
But I had nothing on Viking space ships. I hauled my potatoes onto the Santa Maria and contemplated whether the next day’s history lesson should focus on the difference between North and Central America or... timelines.
Lucy: Mama, let’s play that you’re Christopher Columbus and I’m Leif the Lucky.
Mama: But...you do know that Leif Ericson died hundreds of years before Columbus was born, right?
Lucy: I know. This is just pretend.
Mama (a.k.a. Columbus): Um, ok. Uh...what are you doing here, you red-headed young man? You don’t look like you’re from India.
Lucy (a.k.a. Leif): This isn’t India, silly! This is America! I found it first!
Columbus: Oh, okay.
Leif: (in a whisper) Mama, you are supposed to argue with me.
Columbus: Oh. Right. What are you talking about? I sailed here, to India! I discovered this land! Where’s the gold? Where are the spices?
Leif: There’s no spices! This isn’t India! It’s Vinland! I came here and I saw vins, that’s how I knew to call it Vinland!
Columbus: Well, what about the Indians? Weren’t they here first?
Leif: They’re not real Indians. Real Indians are...way different. But, um, you can call them that.
Columbus: Well, then, where’s my gold to take back to Spain?
Leif: I told you, there’s no gold. Only vins.
Columbus: I still think it’s India.
Leif: (rolling eyes) Listen. My parents took me in a rocket to outer space. They took me there so I could see what the whole world looked like, because there’s no good maps of it yet. I saw the world, and I know: the world is round. And this is not India. This is America. You’re in the wrong spot.
Columbus: Oh! Well, you must be right then. I’ll just take some of these potatoes and go back to Ferdinand and Isabella.
Leif: Wait! Mama! You’re supposed to keep arguing!
But I had nothing on Viking space ships. I hauled my potatoes onto the Santa Maria and contemplated whether the next day’s history lesson should focus on the difference between North and Central America or... timelines.
I love this! "Mom, you're supposed to keep arguing!" LoL!! What a perfect way to make learning about history much more entertaining.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a patient mom and teacher. My kids would get so mad at me because I never said what was in *their* imagination. Next time, have Lucy write the script for you.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh - TOO funny! Viking space ships is awesome.
ReplyDeleteNow you KNOW I love this, as a Viking writer and someone who doesn't celebrate Columbus day b/c he wasn't the first European to get here. So glad your child knows the truth! Long live Vinland! But a spaceship would've been a handier way to get here than sailing, for sure...
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing. You know your daughter is destined to become a writer, right? :D
ReplyDeleteI love this little stories with your girls and it makes me long for the days when mine was that age. You're so smart to be writing them down because you think you'll never forget how charming and clever your children are, but you do.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. :-)