Pea Ridge National Military Park, AR

  One of homeschool adventures this week was to the Pea Ridge Museum.  What an amazing experience for my boys to learn about the Civil War!  It was a great opening for multiple history lessons...

  We started our tour by getting a live demonstration with a lady wearing a full confederate solider uniform.  It was interesting to learn that, though women were not permitted to battle...so many actually were able to sneak in.  Apparently, many pulled it off until one became pregnant and started to show. 

  The children learned all the steps of loading a musket, and saw it fired several times.  Which took quite awhile, was really loud.  I think just about everyone laughed to find out that the only stipulation to join service (other than being a man), was to have at least 4 teeth for ripping the paper to load the powder.

*This was not a paid for post, just sharing our real life with true stories.* 

Then the kids did a scavenger hunt, to find dates and clues throughout the museum.  That was neat, but short lived because the half hour reenactment movie was starting.  For a short film, it made a huge impact on the boys, and me. We were silent in sadness leaving the museum and decided to head to the tavern that became a make shift hospital for both sides.

  We stopped at each lookout point in silence to read the signs and take pictures.  When our homeschool group joined back together at the Elkhorn Tavern, the home that both sides utilized for a makeshift hospital.  the boys quickly perked up to play with the others and check out the apple trees. 

  My boys and I stayed to take more pictures and go for a hike after our group departed.  We had a long talk and short hike due to conversation and heat.  My 7 year old son asked some really big questions.  Like, "Why was it called a civil war when people were killing each other?" And,"Why didn't the people talk out their problems?  Why did over a thousand people die?  They were grown-ups mom, why didn't they act civil and talk it out?  I thought the government was supposed to protect the people not kill them!"  These were his openings...followed up by, "What does slavery even mean?"

  It was quite a history lesson day indeed for my boys.  But I then realized that I've done a great job raising my kids to be 'color blind'.    You see, I was adopted into a foster home before I hit my teens.  My children know that they have aunts and uncles of different races, but never knew there ever was segregation between them.  They know our family photos look like the United Nations, but have never known our primitive history issues.  While we talked, they had their jaws dropped.  Then my littlest asked me, "So what else are you keeping from us?"...so now we are doing a hole Civil War study this summer.

  And I feel guilty educating my children about the dark spots of our country's past.  How am I supposed to teach them about the Civil War (for starters), and sugar coat it?  It's almost like letting my kids watch a horror movie when they're still toddlers.  I don't want their minds to be poisoned by racism.

  I never had a human slave, bought or traded one, so why should I carry guilt because of what someone else did?  I've literately been in fist fights with boys to protect my Haitian sister when she got made fun of at the bus stop when we were kids.  I grew up in a very racist 'white' town being made fun of, not only for being a foster kid - then adopted, but because I was white and defended my family.  Even my adopted white mother made the racial slurs.  When she was mad - we all were called, "Dirty little stupid n*ggers."  (Also, stupid, hate and dumb were a huge part of her vocabulary.  Which is why I raise my children with those words classified under the 'bad word category' because I know how hurtful words are).  It's not that I'm a touchy politically correct person, but there is a line.  It's all in the tone, and implication of what is being said.  Also, there is power in forgiveness.  I've voiced my forgiveness to her and released my pain.

  We do plan on going back to Pea Ridge National Park in the fall after the foliage is down to see more of the battlefields.

  Below you will find my YouTube channel link with pictures of our Trip To Pea Ridge Military Park, in Arkansas.  {Please be kind, this is my very first YouTube video/slideshow I've ever put together.}  Also, take note to the bonnet I found in the gift shop.  It gave me a sweet smile to see it was shipped from Gettysburg, PA.  Since we moved to Arkansas from Pennsylvania, I'm constantly seeing the little reminders of PA.  Maybe because I'm looking for them?