Over time my sister and I have been amazed that her daughter’s personality is more like mine, while my daughter is more like my sister. I am known to call them by each other’s names because they do something that is so much like the other.
But recently, on a family Zoom, I realized that my reaction to my daughter is often the same as my mother’s reaction to my sister.
In the early 1960s my family went to the World’s Fair in New York City. (See blog below.). We had a great time. Our favorite ride was the Disney, “It’s a Small World,” which premier at the World’s Fair. My sister, who was just 4 or 5 at the time, fell in love with the song.
She was in love with the song and used the $5.00 gifted to her from our grandmother to buy a special booklet about the ride that included the 45 record. My mother asked her to be sure that is what she wanted, as she used her entire $5 for it. (I used my money to buy a Cinderella watch.)
The song became the bane of our existence. My sister played that record endlessly. “I did play it multiple times a day on the small record player that we were allowed to use unsupervised,” she said. To be honest it drove us all crazy.
One day she came home from school to the horrible news from my mother that the record was broken. My mom was cleaning and accidentally broke it. My sister was devasted, but what could she do. It was gone. My Mom was such an honest, good person. We all believed her. And I think we all, except my sister, were relieved.
Fast forward about 10 years. Our house was robbed. The thieves came in through the back door. The police believe my brother surprised when he got home from school as he came in the front door. (I have written about this before in the blog below.). It was traumatic for all of us!!!
But in the aftermath, on the floor of my parent’s bedroom, where the thieves had dropped all the stuff they did not want, was the 45 record of “It’s A Small World”. It was not broken. It was intact. My sister was shocked.
“Mom,” she said. “It’s not broken.” She says it was the biggest betrayal in her life! My parents were both speechless and laughing. My Mom admitted the truth, she just could not stand to hear that record again. So they hid it.
My sister says, “Mom did not have the heart to actually break and throw it out.” She thinks it is because she purchased with the money from grandma. Now, 55 years later, my sister still has the record. She admits she was obsessed by it and had to keep listening. (Unfortunately, while my sister found her record, my watch was stolen during the robbery.)
Fast forward to the late 1980/early 1990s and my daughter’s favorite book, “Pippi Longstocking!” She had to hear that one book every single day. My husband or I read it to her. It was my husband who broke first. He finally had enough of her obsession. He told me that he refused to read it again. He took the book and put it at the very top of the floor to ceiling bookcase in our bedroom, knowing she would never find it. I have to admit, I was right there with him. I could have taken it down, but I never did.
We were so relieved. We just never wanted to hear that book again. Little did we realize that the book was in her soul. When she wrote her college applications, she wrote about how she identified with Pippi Longstocking in her essays.
While she was in college, she came home for a break and was helping me sort through books. I had totally forgotten that Pippi Longstocking was still up there in the bookcase, on its side where it could not be seen. She was up on a step stool, when she yelled in excitement. “Mom, I found Pippi Longstocking. It’s not lost!”
I was startled and started laughing until tears came. She says, it never occurred to her that we hid it. She felt no sense of betrayal, only excitement because she found her favorite book. Both my Mom and I could not get rid of the evidence of our ‘lie’ which in the end was our undoing.
Like my Mom, I explained to my daughter how tired we were of hearing and reading the book. So we hid it. I think we still have the book. But in August 2019, my husband and I went to the Baltics. I made amends. The only thing I purchased for my daughter was in Sweden: a small Pippi Longstocking doll and tea towel that was adorned with Pippi’s picture.
I must also say, that “It’s A Small World” is also my daughter’s favorite Disney ride. I have ridden on that ride multiple times with her. One time, on a rainy day, when no one else was there, she and I did it over and over again. She is so much like my sister!!!
When thinking about it, I realize that both my sister and daughter were interested in entertainment that explored the world and had a positive view of life. It’s a Small World shows the people of the world singing in harmony and joy. Pippi is a free and independent girl who is kind and helpful and works against bullies! Pippi Longstocking and It’s a Small World will always have a place in my heart.
These two blogs talk in more detail about the robbery and It’s a Small World Ride.
https://zicharonot.com/2014/03/14/it-was-a-small-world-at-the-new-york-citys-worlds-fair-196465/
https://zicharonot.com/2019/03/02/locking-up-candy-saves-the-day/
zicharonot 
Amazing!! Pippi Longstocking!! It’s a Small World!! children’s librarian–me, retired. Ludwig Bemelmans, E.B. White, P.L. Travers, Anna Sewall, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Marie McSwigan, Patricia Reilly Giff!! Wonderful!! Thank you.
We love many of those authors as well. Marry Poppins, Ann of Green Gables, Little House Books, Charlotte’s Web. Mrs Rooney. All good reads!!
I loved Pippi Longstocking because she refused to be a “good” girl. She broke all the rules and gave me hope that I didn’t have to follow them all also. 🙂
My daughter as well. She was also brave! My daughter identified with being different , but still being ok.