17 different women, 36 crazy children, 0 babies in utero
Adventures, Advice and Questions from a group of Mormon women who met in Queens, NY and have now scattered all over the place.
 

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Little Traditions

The other night, as I was slathering cream on my-getting-a-little-older feet, vowing to make it a nightly ritual, my thoughts turned to the scene in Funny Lady, when Barbra Streisand, as Fanny Brice, is going through her nightly beauty ritual, which included rubbing lemons on her elbows and knees.

Stay with me here.

My thoughts then wandered to Funny Girl, because Funny Girl was WAY better than Funny Lady, and Funny Girl happens to be me favorite movie. Then I thought about sharing that with my daughters. What will that day be like? How old will they be? Will they embrace Funny Girl? Will they become die-hard Barbra Fans too?

Then I started thinking about my own mother and what she tried to indoctrinate in me. The list: Madame Alexander Dolls, Olivia Newton John, Aerobics, Crosstitching, Make up, Haley Mills Movies (Summer Magic, Pollyanna, The Parent Trap), White Christmas, Dachshunds, Talbots, Lladros.

She didn't force anything on me, these were just things that she really enjoyed and introduced us to, and we clinged to those things as well. She grew up with a Dachshund named Schatze, so growing up we had two: Barney and Chloe. She collected dolls growing up, so she gave her daughters a doll on special occasions. She worked out, so we worked out.

I thought about what I have held on to, from that list, and what I will pass along to my daughters. I have already bought Summer Magic to show my daughters, I have in my possession I think 3 of quite a few MA Dolls, the rest of which are stored at my mother's house and I have no particular attachment to. And my girls have a few MA baby dolls. I no longer cross stitch. If I cross stitch again, it will probably to make a stocking if I have another child, I am just NOT into it like my mother is. I do enjoy watching White Christmas. If I was to get a dog, it would not be a dachshund. I love make up. I think it is safe to say that I will not purchase anything at Talbots, for at least the next 15 years...maybe more, it's just not my style. My mother gave me a lladro when I graduated college. I really appreciate the gift, and it is in a special place right now: protected in my closet, until one day I have a more formal room to display it in, and no little hands to destroy it.

As for what I will pass on to my children?
Barbra (of course), Books (my favorites), music, rollerblading, and probably makeup...

It's also fun to find what they love just as much as you do (or did), on that list is My Little Ponies, Barbies, the movie Peter Pan and chocolate.

So what about you?

12 Comments:

  • Things my mother has passed down to me:

    An addiction to popcorn.

    A habit of collecting Madame Alexander international dolls.
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 5/15/2007 07:02:00 PM  



  • Hmmm.....I inherited from my mother:
    *buyers remorse for any purchase over $10
    *insane academic work ethic that sort of falls apart when I try to apply it in other arenas of life
    *fabulously annoying habit of saying "look for a solution, not a problem" when somebody is whining

    I don't think much of that was intentional.

    I'd love to teach my kids to love to learn, to be kind to others even when it's hard, to be responsible for their decisions, and to nurture their sense of wonder.

    Anything else is just a bonus...
    posted by Blogger Em at 5/15/2007 08:28:00 PM  



  • Some contradictory habits...

    Love for homemade pasteries

    Desire to be healthy and body concious.

    Slight OCD about whatever it is that you are into. I can't get into any project without becoming obsessed. 110% or nothin'!

    The amazing ability to recal every item of clothing ever purchased and the exact price paid.

    Musicals

    I am sure there are lots more but that's a few!
    posted by Blogger Rachel H at 5/16/2007 09:02:00 AM  



  • I love makeup, being organized, reading good christian books. I am a prayer warrior, I love giving gifts!
    posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 5/16/2007 09:48:00 AM  



  • Let's see...
    My mom gave me:

    A love for: Barbra (yay for Babs!), Cary Grant, Doris Day, all musicals, almonds, seafood, traveling, organization, and talking.

    A tendency to: speak without thinking, watch too many movies, plan to a fault, and say "quick like a bunny rabbit!" to my children.

    What I hope to teach my kids: respect for others, service, hard work, and a great sense of humor.

    Amongst other things, too (like CLEAN YOUR ROOM! but I doubt that one will stick in this lifetime...)
    posted by Blogger Cheryl at 5/16/2007 10:20:00 AM  



  • Mom, are you reading this?

    Some things my mom passed on to me:

    Love of Babs (thanks goodness for that generation of moms, right?) and musicals - she indulged my every musical whim. The poor woman sat through "Annie" in the theater 3 times.

    Facial moisturizer - I was moisturizing when I was 9.

    Love of antiquing and finding a treasure among the trash.

    Sales

    "Mental Health Days" - there were many a day when she let me stay home from school to recouperate from life/breakups/etc. Really great about that.

    Brunch

    Good quality shoes

    The list goes on and on...

    Thanks mom!
    posted by Blogger Sara at 5/16/2007 08:11:00 PM  



  • My mom loves the color red. I used to rebell when she would fawn over how wonderful I looked in red. Now that I live far away from her, I buy red shoes and bright purses, red coats, red skirts, red accessories. It makes me think of her, and wish she were here to say how fabulous I looked covered head-to-toe in red.

    Sniff...
    posted by Blogger Reluctant Nomad at 5/17/2007 05:00:00 AM  



  • This took me awhile. I love my mom to death, but I usually don't think we have much of anything in common. But she did pass on:

    *her sweet tooth....growing up my friends were amazed how we always had homemade goodies in the house.

    *her love of books. We usually read very different books, but the love of reading was passed on.

    *her frugality.

    *her lists...we are both list makers.

    *video games...my mom used to always play our ninetendo and still loves to play whatever system we have around (although she would never admit it). I don't play as much right now, but I'm sure its a short-lived hiatus until my boys get into it. She did set limits...and so will I.
    posted by Blogger Jen at 5/17/2007 09:27:00 AM  



  • Things my mom passed on to me:
    -humming and singing and sighing
    -funny little phrases and songs ("quick like a fox," "I'm coming, beanie boy," "Stand up and show me your funny face")
    -her sense of style, for the most part (I think they're pretty similar)
    -exclamation points!
    -reading, writing, and journaling
    -love of routines

    Things I wish I'd caught onto (I'm working on it):
    -remembering EVERYONE's birthdays (literally...everyone)
    -sending cards to everyone, for every event imaginable
    -a good academic work ethic. What would that be like?
    -the ability to make friends and find a connection with everyone. (literally...everyone!)

    Fun post.
    posted by Blogger Eliza at 5/17/2007 04:17:00 PM  



  • It was fun reading Jen's post- we are sisters but I found it much easier to think of things that she has passed down to me, such as...

    *The sweet tooth. It's pretty much a family thing. My husband loves that my Mom always has cookies somewhere in the house.

    *Lists. I make a list for just about everything. People at work look at me like I'm crazy.

    *Crafts

    *Starting 10 million projects at once. (She is much better about getting hers finished, I got the not finsihing my projects from my Dad.)

    *Naps

    * Saying "I don't know anything else", when we are on the phone and have nothing else to say. I know that one was passed down from her Mother.

    I hope that I can learn to serve others as much as she does, but that is a work in progress.
    posted by Blogger Razzy at 5/18/2007 02:14:00 PM  



  • This is a good exercise- sometimes I focus too much on the hard parts of my relationship with my mom, when in fact she has given me a lot of good stuff, too. Inherited from my mother:

    ~A fearlessness at tackling tasks that seem impossible.
    ~Beleiving that I can not only fight city-hall, but I can WIN.
    ~The importance of civic duty, voting and volunteering.
    ~A willingness to lead.
    ~An appreciation (to the exclusion and even disdain of things modern) for antiques.

    Hmmmm, this is really interesting. Basically I guess my mom is fearless, and she gave me pretty big dose of her without my even realizing.

    I didn't know that until just now.

    I hope I can give my daughter the same thing someday.
    posted by Blogger tracy m at 5/18/2007 06:26:00 PM  



  • Just off the top of my head, my mother definitely passed on her love of all things crafty. And taking on projects just a little too big for comfort. She also passed on a love of animals (especially of the canine variety).
    posted by Blogger This is Carrie at 5/21/2007 09:16:00 PM  



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