Little House on the Prairie is one of the most beloved family shows of all time. It was created by TV legend Michael Landon who also starred as Charles Ingalls. Based on the “Little House” series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the series was known for its wholesome depiction of small-town life in the late 1800s.
Weekly episodes were filled with hugs, kisses, triumphs, and tragedies. Like many family-themed shows, Little House often strived to teach viewers lessons aimed at improving everyday life. Here are 10 life lessons learned from watching Little House on the Prairie.
A LITTLE HOUSE IS NO REASON NOT TO SNUGGLE
The Ingalls home was incredibly tiny. Laura and Mary shared a loft directly above their parents while the youngest child slept a mere 15 feet away from Ma and Pa. There were only two doors in the whole house and no privacy.
Yet Caroline gave birth twice since moving into the little house and mistakingly thought she was pregnant a third time - so it’s obvious Ma and Pa found time to be intimate regardless of the cramped quarters. The Ingalls children seem to be well adjusted, proving folks should not let their living situation negatively impact their love life.
WHEN IT COMES TO ORPHANS THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE
In season five, the Ingalls family got a little bigger when they took in an orphan named Albert. The small home was already running five people deep but Charles was fond of the boy and Caroline wasn’t about to stand in the way. Three years later the family took in two more children after their parents were killed in a wagon crash.
It wasn’t just the Ingalls who were providing homes for foundlings. Mr. Edwards and his girlfriend took in three kids while the Oleson’s famously adopted Nancy after their daughter moved away. In Walnut Grove, orphans always found homes, setting a shining example for people considering taking in a stray kid.
A MEAT & POTATOES DIET IS THE KEY TO HEALTHY LIVING
Supper time at the Ingalls house usually meant beef stew, fried chicken or something similar. It wasn’t just the Ingalls either. All across Walnut Grove, families were devouring huge plates of roast beef, glazed hams, mashed potatoes, and apple fritters for dessert.
With a diet like that you’d think townsfolk would be struggling with their weight and suffering from heart troubles. In the nine years that Little House aired, there were only three episodes that featured overweight characters. And the fact they were overweight served as the main plot for that week’s show. I guess they weren’t eating enough stew.
IF YOU NEED A MIRACLE JUST ASK
A miracle is the rarest of things - a gift from God given to only the most deserving. But for the Ingalls family, miracles seemed to arrive whenever needed and saved the day more than once.
The most obvious miracle occurred when Charles came right out and asked God to heal his comatose son James, who was near death after being shot. After praying real hard, a bolt of lightning came down from the heavens and zapped James back to perfect health. There were also mysterious fires that lead rescuers to the lost and strange visitors seemingly sent from above to guide the Ingalls in times of a spiritual crisis. The Ingalls had faith and never missed church so the powers above were never shy about offering divine assistance.
NEVER TAKE EYESIGHT FOR GRANTED
Perhaps no show in television history used blindless as a plot device more than Little House on the Prairie. In the season four finale, the Ingalls’ oldest child went blind in what many fans call the best episode of the series. The ratings were sky high and Melissa Sue Anderson, who plays Mary, received an Emmy nomination.
Michael Landon noticed the popularity of the blindness storyline and often centered episodes around the terrible affliction. There was the one about the kid who faked being blind so his parents wouldn’t divorce, the guilty mother who gave up her blind child, and who can ever forget the somewhat creepy episode where Laura’s blind friend falls in love with Mr. Edwards.
AN HONEST DAY’S WORK CAN HELP YOU OVERCOME YOUR DEMONS
Charles should have opened his own wellness center right there on the farm. There were many instances during the show’s nine seasons when a troubled soul would end up working for Pa on the family homestead only to leave a few weeks later, a fully functional member of society.
There was the time an abusive alcoholic father turned to sobriety after spending two weeks on the farm digging ditches. Once the Oleson’s sent their rich, spoiled, destructive nephew to work for Charles. Within days, the boy had blisters on his hands, was laughing all the time and suddenly developed manners. Just a few years later, Charles took in a teenager dealing with anger issues and put him to work. By the episode’s end, the boy was attending Sunday mass with his grandparents.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST DISAPPEAR
Never take your friends and neighbors for granted because, if Little House has taught us anything, sometimes a person will just vanish without any explanation or questions asked.
Besides the Ingalls family, there were a few residents of Walnut Grove you could always count on seeing like the Oleson family, Doc Baker and the school teacher Mrs. Beedle. Yet most other townsfolk seemed to be there one day then completely disappear the next. Whatever happened to Keizia, the town kook? Or Dr. Ladeux? Also, a huge amount of Laura’s friends just seemed to fall off the face of the earth - like the crippled girl Olga or the slow-witted class president Elmer.
A NEW BABY IS ALWAYS WELCOME
The Ingalls family always seemed to be facing money issues. And just when they seemed to be getting ahead a tornado would come along and destroy their crop. Aside from that, there never seemed to be enough room in that little house. No one had their own room and there was no such thing as privacy. But regardless of life’s hardships, the news of a new baby was always looked upon as a blessing from above.
No matter how much Charles worried about money or Caroline complained about the lack of space, a new baby was always cause for celebration. As soon as Caroline found out she would run into her husband’s arms or at the very least, have a big smile on her face while breaking the news. As for Pa, the notion he was going to have another mouth to feed always left him in tears - of joy.
LEARNING SIGN LANGUAGE CAN BE MASTERED IN A FEW DAYS
When a def boy arrived in Walnut Grove, Laura volunteered to teach him sign language so he could communicate with the outside world. The only problem was, she didn’t know a thing about how it worked. So she borrowed a few books from the town doctor and within a few days, she learned sign language and was competent enough to teach others.
By the end of the episode, not only was Laura and her student communicating with perfect sign language, but she also taught the boy’s stubborn, uneducated father how to sign as well. Laura showed us all it takes is dedication and a willingness to learn.
YOU CAN OVERCOME WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU
The most important thing learned from watching Little House on the Prairie is that you can overcome just about anything. While all the characters faced their fair share of troubles, no one had it rougher than the eldest child, Mary.
At a young age, she suffered from scarlet fever. She nearly died from an infection after being kicked by a horse. She went blind. She suffered a miscarriage and her next child died in a fire. But through it all, you could always find Mary at the circus, football game, or town picnic with a big smile on her face.
