Mothering Instincts & Childhood Disappointments

The mothering instinct is a driving force in most females, although for some of us, it's stronger than for others.  I loved baby dolls when I was a little girl, although I wasn't always kind to them.  My parents had three children, my mom was a homemaker, and my father didn't earn a lot of money.  As children, we didn't have too many trendy toys, although I'm sure my brothers, like me, longed for them.  When I was in first or second grade, I desperately wanted a large, floppy, life-like Thumbelina doll.  She had a vinyl head, eyes that opened and closed, and a soft, squishy body.  She had a winding knob on her back that made her head, arms, and legs move just like a real baby.  When my mom and I were out shopping one day, I saw one displayed in a department store in downtown Gastonia.  It was love at first sight!  One of my friends got her for Christmas that year, and I was green with envy. 


Much of the vintage toy market today is likely driven by the childhood disappointments of baby-boomers wanting to either replace a much-loved toy or purchase one they felt deprived of as a child.  I certainly won't be satisfying my desire for a 19 inch, Thumbelina doll.  When I looked one up on EBay, the asking price was $600 for a near perfect one in the original box.  You see...I had an eye for value in future vintage items, even then.

As a child I also wanted, but didn't get, a Mattel Barbie doll and a Mystery Date game.  It's funny, today just about every little girl in the U.S. has had about twenty Barbies by the time she is four years old.  My granddaughter's Barbies are usually stripped naked and their hair looks like a rat's nest from their repeated bathtub baptisms. 

Woe is me!  I (tongue in cheek) had such a deprived childhood to not have even one "real" Barbie.  Mom got my fake Barbie with either gold or green stamps.  I loved her, but I just couldn't forget that she was an impostor.  The shoes fit, but she just wasn't Cinderella.  Well into adulthood, my mother-in-law bought me a My First Barbie doll.  I guess she got tired of hearing me lament about my Barbie-less childhood.

My mothering instinct carried over from childhood, adolescence, teen years, and adulthood.  I rescued stray kittens, tried rehabilitating (with mixed results) wayward friends, loved every minute of rearing our two sons, but grandmothering is the icing on the proverbial cake. 

Since I am now at home most days, my newest mothering instinct is as protector of baby birds in our backyard.  Yesterday, I thought I saw a cowbird climbing into our bluebird's nest.  I ran like a mad woman across our backyard to chase him out.  When I jerked open the nesting box door, a traumatized mama blue bird flew out.  Oops...my distance eyesight isn't what it used to be!  Her fuzzy bluebird babies were safe and happily chirping away.  Some things never change...God just made us mamas this way.    

Copyright 2012 Charlotte Laney