Vive la Revolution

I have been noticing lately, with a smidgen of pride, how interested Taylor has become in the early history of our great nation.

This all began when we started streaming episodes of Liberty's Kids from Netflix regularly after lunchtime.  As he recently learned more about our country's history in school for Presidents' Day, this interest has continued to spike.  People like Benjamin Franklin and John Adams have become real to him.  He tells people regularly how wonderful it is that George Washington fought so we could have freedom in America today.

For a five-year-old, I think that's pretty cool.  I'm fairly certain that at that age I may not have been aware that I even lived in a place called America.

But the other day, as I was tending to some chores upstairs, I happened to overhear Taylor playing on the floor below.  It was a pretty elaborate production-- he was even singing as though his imaginary soldiers were involved in a grand American Revolutionary opera as they fought the dreaded Red Coats.  I paused to take all of this in, deeply amused and caught in the moment.  It was awesome.

Then I stopped.  A thought suddenly occurred to me. 
Did he think that the British were still the "bad guys"?

It sure seemed that way.

My concerns were validated after I questioned him a short while later.  He was indeed under the impression that England was still out to impose the rule of monarchy on all freedom-loving Americans.  Those devious Brits! 

So I reminded him of an old friend.

"Hey, Taylor, do you remember your friend B?  Remember how you used to go over to his house all the time before he moved?"

"Oh yeah, of course I remember him.  He was my very best friend!"

"Right.  Well, do you know where his family moved to?"

"Um, where?"

"They moved all the way across the ocean to England!  The British people are their neighbors now.  Did you know the British are friends with Americans now?"

"Oh, wow. Really?"

"Really, truly.  Would you like to write B a letter?  We can send it in the mail to him!"

With that invitation, he set to work, drawing a stack of pictures that I get to deliver to the post office this week.

He even addressed the envelope himself:
To B, From Taylor.  (It is just across the pond, after all.)

But I may have to relabel it, just in case his address wasn't quite clear.
You know how the postal service can be. 

And, no surprise, he is still fascinated by early American history.
And he clearly understands now that the good people of Great Britain are our friends.

But there's just one last nagging thought that has me wondering...

Does he now think that the only reason the war is over is because of the courageous diplomatic efforts of our good friends and former neighbors?

Hmmmmmm.

We may have a few lessons to go yet.

In the meantime, my dear ambassadors:
On behalf of Taylor, allow me to express his deepest gratitude for your work in protecting our country's liberties!