I want to be Laura Ingalls-Wilder (Little Prairie on the House)

The Ingalls Family

Growing up did you ever have an idol or wish to be just like someone on TV. 

At the age of three years, every night on television at 7.30pm Fat Cat would wish all the children a good night with a kiss. I would be tucked into bed by mother and she would always read me a children’s story. “Good night my dear.” she said as she gave me a kiss on the cheek.

Looking back I clearly remember that night. Unbeknown to me my parents had been devising the most scandalous plan to put me to bed without having watch my favourite program “Little House on the Prairie”. They had failed to tell me about my program and had turned down the volume on the television.

Despite this, I could still hear the familiar music coming down the hallway from the lounge room. Oh my goodness, how could they do this to me. How could they not let me watch LHOTP my favourite program and my favourite little girl Laura Ingalls-Wilder. HOW DARE THEY!

My little footprints could be heard coming down the hallway. My parents looking at me as the tears streamed down my cheeks and I was so sad I could hardly speak. With my bottom lip quivering “I I I I want want want to to to watch watch Little Prairie on the House.” (actually my parents insist I was screaming). My parents both having found this amusing and also feeling a little bad allowed me to stay.

Little House on the Prairie followed the lives of the Ingalls family who lived in a quaint little house on the banks of Plum Creek in Minnesota during the 1890s. It always started with the same music as Ingalls children ran down a steep hill through long golden grassy plains that surrounded their home.

Often narrated by Laura who at the time was a little girl just like me, the story showed her daily life and she often pondered on her future and the lessons learned.

I loved Laura. I wanted to be just like her. She was my idol and I loved those 19th century outfits. Those dresses that covered your entire body from neck, down the arms to your wrist, in tight at the waist and a long flowing skirt down the ground. They were usually a plain brown or blue colour and the girls wore little white pinafores over the top. Often having won breaking the chicken wishbone I would secretly wish for an entire wardrobe of LHOTP clothes. Bring them on!

I was obsessed and I was a little girl just like Laura.