Try On That Hat!

Em
Oct 2, 2019
4 min read

Once again this summer, I took Willie (my 5-year-old son) to various museums and historical sites. He has been travelling to these places since he was too young to understand what they are and how truly important it is to visit them.

When I was growing up, I was taken to historical villages/sites/forts all over Ontario and anywhere else that we travelled: Maritimes, Gettysburg etc… For as long as I can remember, these trips were something that I always had the most fun doing! I loved museums, I loved trying on historical clothing, I love watching cannon/musket demonstrations and don’t even get me started on seeing full battle re-enactments (Yesssssss!). I knew that when/if I had children one day, they would get to experience the same sensations that I did as a child. I would make sure of it. They would smell the black powder smoke from a musket firing repeatedly, they would plug their ears as a cannon boomed beside them, they would lie in a bed made of wooden slats and straw and imagine what it would be like to sleep like that everyday. Fast forward, for what seems like a hundred years, and my son has written with a quill, breathed in the smoke of a longhouse, played 19th century schoolhouse games, worn a dunce cap, dressed up in re-enactor clothing and spent a few sweaty days outside in long sleeve shirts, knee socks and vests. Please see adorable photo below.

Photo Location: Petawawa Heritage Village, Petawawa, ON.

So why is this important? Who cares what Will and I do in our spare time? Well, first off…everyone should care what I do in my spare time. Also, exposing children to hands on history from the very beginnings of their lives instills a respect for heritage. It creates inquiring, informed citizens that are aware of how the world came to be as it is today. They ask big questions, they ask hard questions and they use whatever developmental skills they have to try and understand the successes, hardships, joys, sadness’ and customs of an entirely different group of people. In my humble opinion, this is how we build responsible citizens. Now, please don’t think that I believe children should spend every holiday just doing historical exploration! (Although, that sounds like a amazing way to spend a holiday!)Go to Disneyland, the beach, festivals but I am begging you, also make time to visit the museums, the forts, and the re-enactments. Hopefully, by making history enjoyable and fun from a young age we can grow a tribe of future students who don’t go into high school dreading the “boring” history class. We mold youths who don’t have the misconception that Canadian history is dull history because of our relatively young age. Grow scholars, raise explorers, train philosophers!

Obviously, I hold all the same values for adults. So, you don’t have kids? Get your ass out there anyway and explore these sites by yourself, with your partner, with your relatives! When you get there, don’t just walk around with the guide book and timidly peek into buildings… Talk to the guides! Interact with the re-enactors, don’t be afraid to try things out and don’t worry about embarrassing yourself. Just think W.W.E.D? What Would Emma Do? If you are confused, I will show you what Emma would do. Please follow these simple examples.

Emma would lay down in the guardhouse bed to feel the mattress (or lack there of) and imagine five people sleeping beside me!

Photo Location: Fort George, Niagara Falls, ON.

Emma would most definitely try on that 1812 hat! (Spoiler alert: I did not get lice!)

Photo Location: Fort George, Niagara Falls, ON.

Emma would dress up as a 19th century school teacher and teach people about discipline and school life in pioneer times.

Photo Location: Petawawa Heritage Village, Petawawa, ON.

Better yet… make the people who are nice enough to go with you to these wonderful places dress up too! Why? Because……. That’s what Emma would do. Thanks Dad! Thanks Mom!

Photo Location: Fort George, Niagara Falls, ON.

Photo Location: Petawawa Settler's Festival, Petawawa, ON.

It is our job to make sure that the wonderful history that is all around us is remembered by our children. That they are taught to remember sacrifices, to honour people, to celebrate differences and to think about how their family members might have lived their lives before smartphones, plumbing, proper heating and quality healthcare. They will begin to realize how lucky they are to live as we do today. It teaches appreciation.

I promise you, watching children, or anyone for that matter, experience the past for the first time is something wonderful to see. Watching someone older walk into a museum and see things from their youth, that they haven’t seen since childhood, is equally as amazing.

I will end the blog on that note. Hoping I inspired at least one of you to visit any of the amazing historical locations close to you. If you need advice on sites to visit, I have plenty of suggestions! Feel free to reach out.

Regards,

Please enjoy these few pictures I have grabbed of Willie living his best life at various historical locations. If this isn't inspiration to explore, I do know what is...

Poor sad little dummy (I'm kidding, I'm actually a good mother.)