Parks and Books

Today, as Madeleine and I sat chatting and cuddling on the couch, we began discussing parks.

MADELEINE: Mama?  Can we go to that park that ran back into action?

I had no idea what she was talking about.  Hearing "ran back into action" made me think of some military hero who went dashing back into enemy fire to continue fighting for his or her country.  I was trying to imagine what parks we've been to that either have statues of militia or are named after famous military leaders.

ME: Which one do you mean, honey?
MADELEINE: Uh, the one that ran into action.

I was at a complete loss.  Instead, I thought of the last park we had been to, at which a soccer tournament was occurring, coinciding with the girls playing on the playground and me doing a workout on the track.  That's kind of "running into action," right?  I asked Madeleine if that park was the one she meant.

MADELEINE: No, NOT that one.  The one that ran back into action.  But Mama?  How did it get back into action but there was, like, NO ONE there?
ME: Madeleine, I still don't know what park you're talking about.
MADELEINE: Uh, the one with the POOL.

The park with the pool.  Was this from a prior vacation?

It finally dawned on me that she was referring to Artesani Park, which is a year-round playground on the Charles River, with a seasonal wading pool and fountain area.  The pool opens on Memorial Day and stays open until Labor Day, and we drive by this park on our way to church.  Therefore, the girls both noticed that the water was cascading out of the big fountains in the wading pool on our last trip to church.  (Or, as Madeleine put it, the water was "running back into action.")

We did not go to any parks today, as the weather was lousy, but we did take a trip to the bookstore once Julia got out of school.  The girls each got two books, and one of Madeleine's books was a recap of the movie "Mulan."  This movie has been Madeleine's latest obsession, so of course, after having me read her the book, she insisted on watching the movie.  AGAIN.

Julia joined in the movie-watching, and became very interested in the history of the story (because we all know that Disney movies are extremely realistic and historically accurate.)

JULIA: (watching the Huns attack Mulan's army) Mommy?  What year did this war actually take place?
ME: Oh, it was a LONG time ago.
JULIA: Like, before the Revolutionary War?
ME: Waaay before that.
JULIA: So, like, in the 1600s?

Julia views the world through the lens of American Girl books.  Anything that pre-dates the formation of the United States of America is about as far back as she can imagine.

ME: No, like WAY before that.
JULIA: So, like, WHEN?

I looked it up on my computer, but unfortunately, since Mulan is a fictional character, there are no actual historical records of her army and its battle with the Huns.  The best I could do was give Julia a ballpark date based on when the Hun Dynasty ended.

JULIA: (looking at a map of places Huns had invaded.)  Wait.  Does that say FOUR HUNDRED?
ME: Yeah.  So, like, the year four hundred fifty-three.  I told you.  It was REEEEALLY long ago.
JULIA: (thoughtful) So was there really a girl named Mulan?

Well, probably at some point in the past history of the world.  But I think that's about the only connection between a girl named Mulan and the events of the Hun Dynasty.

At least now Julia has an understanding that major things actually happened before the United States of America formed.  Maybe we need to expand this American Girl thing and go WAY back through history into other Empires and nations.  Maybe even using real, actual historical figures.

Here are some ideas:

"Meet Honoria," sister of Emperor Valentinian III, engaged to Attila the Hun and exiled by her emperor brother for fraternizing with the enemy.

"Mary Magdalene Learns a Lesson," about Mary's transformation from prostitute to saint through her interactions with Jesus.

"A Surprise for Mary," in which Mary the mother of Jesus learns of her pregnancy.

"Joan Saves the Day" about Joan of Arc's activities during the Hundred Years War.

I know none of these would top Ju-Sa-Lil, of course, but it's just an idea.  What do you readers think?