Jefferson's wife died in 1782 after she gave birth to their sixth child. Jefferson, like many of the Founding Fathers, worked away from home for months and years at a time. In this primary source, Jefferson is giving instructions to his daughter Patsy about how to spend her time while he's away.
Read the letters from the link above and consider the notion of a single working dad. Not only a single working dad, but a single working dad who is Thomas Jefferson. Do you think he was justified in leaving his kids with other people while he attended the Continental Congress? Could he have brought some/all of his kids with him to Philadelphia and still been as successful? Would he still have written the Declaration of Independence?
In your comments, reflect on these questions and your initial reaction from the letters he wrote to Patsy.
It must have been hard for Thomas Jefferson when his wife died and he was left with six kids. At that time he was president so he really had no choice but to leave but he could have taken them. I don’t think he was justified to leave his kids with other people. Although he had good intentions I think he should’ve taken them with him. They needed a father especially when they lost their mother. Him having his kids with him would not have changed how he ran the country it might have even made it better, they might have inspired him. I think Thomas Jefferson would have still written the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was a good father and obviously loved his kids but made a wrong decision leaving them in their time of need.(138 words)
ReplyDeleteHe was absolutely justified. As much as it is sad that he couldn't be around them, it was his responsibility to leave. I think he would have written it, but not have done the Decleration of Independence as well as he did. He would have been very distracted. As for Patsy's letter, I think he was a bit strict. Where is time for fun in that schedule of his? Although Jefferson wanted the best for his daughter, I think it was a bit over the top. If I were her, I wouldn't do all that stuff, to be honest.I don't blame Patsy for not doing all that. He was obviously a very caring and loving father, but if you are going to go away, don't write a letter to your child telling them rules, I don't think that would make your kid miss you. 144 words
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson must have been going through a lot! He was left with six kids after his wife died and then he had to try to keep his job. This would have been very difficult to do, but I agree with him leaving and getting someone to keep his children simply so he can keep his job. I do not agree with him writing a letter like this, I mean, he literally told her what to do every hour of every day! He should have told his kids to do these things, but he shouldn't have written out a schedule for their lives. 103 words
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Thomas Jefferson was trying his hardest to be a good father. I think it was sad that he had to leave his children, but duty calls. My dad, being a pilot, has to leave for work and is usually gone for about a week. As much as I miss him, I respect him because I know he's doing it for my benefit. Thomas Jefferson had his country in mind. He knew they needed him and he left his family for the country. He had the benefit of the country on his mind. I respect him too. I'm sure it was hard for him to leave his family! This reminds me of the men and women in the military! Should they not go into the military just because they have to leave their family? NO! We need them!In his letter, Thomas Jefferson showed he loved his children. By taking his time to tell her what to do just showed that he cared. It was quite a bit too strict, but he loved her and wanted what was best for her. It would have been a lot harder for him to write the Declaration of Independence, but it would have been possible. (204)
ReplyDeleteI think Thomas Jefferson was right in leaving his children with someone he trusted to take care of them rather then taking them with him. He still would have written the Declaration of Independence, but it probably wouldn't have been as thorough because his kids would have been a distraction. I'm sure it would have also been harder to transport his children and all their luggage to Philadelphia than it was to just transport himself and his stuff. As for the letter he wrote to his daughter, I think it was way to strict. I mean just telling his kids what to do is one thing, but making a schedule of what to do every hour from when they wake up to when they go to bed is a little much. He didn't allow any time at all for them to play or even just be with friends. I don't blame Patsy for not doing exactly what Mr. Jefferson told her to do. I probably wouldn't have, either. Kids need to have time to play with other friends.(178)
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson was a man who a lot to deal with at that time. But, that doesn’t give him a right to just blow off his kids. I know our country desperatly needed him. But, it would not have been that hard just to bring his kids with him and find someone he trusts to take care of them up there. The kids did not have their mother and thanks to him they did not get their father either. Those are two things all kids need. I am assuming that his daughter was mad at him at that time because she didn’t respond back. I can’t say that I would have responded either. I would be thinking so he just dumps us off here and then thinks he can send me a letter to make it all better. Oh, and in the letter he just tells me how to live MY life as if he thinks I’m not capable. Jefferson’s job as a dad is to care for his family 1st then carry out his dudies for our country. And yes I do think that our Declaration of Independence would have still been written if he had just taken his kids with him. He would have that extra responsibiliy while he was there of taking care of his kids and less sleep but, isn’t that what you are signing up for when you have kids. Children need their parents, no matter what.
ReplyDeleteoh, and my comment was 242 words.
ReplyDeleteI think he was justified but then at the same time I think he wasn’t. He was justified because he had to if he wanted to keep his job and he had to do what kept money on the table. Then at the same time I think that he wasn’t justified because those were his kids and they were his responsibility to take care of them and provide for them. I think if he brought his kids with him he would have been distracted and it seems as if he would have had more to deal with and he already had enough to deal with already. I mean he was the president. But I don’t think that he would have been less successful but I do think that he would have had to work harder to become as successful as he was. I think he would still have written the Declaration of Independence and I also think that it would have been better in a way because of his children. (170)
ReplyDeleteI think Thomas Jefferson was wrong to leave Patsy there. Her mom had just passed away and she needed him more than ever. The only parent she had left was her dad and he practically abandoned her. He could have at least taken her with him even if he got a nanny to raise her. She would still get to see her dad a little I mean that would be better than nothing. A father plays a very important role in a child's life. Just look at the way kids end up now days whose parents aren't there to raise them. They end up all messed up kinda like on the Disney channel show “The Suit life o Zach and Cody.” The girl London on there is abandoned by her dad and is raised by the manager of the hotel the dad owns. You can clearly see how much it hurts her. Where as on the old show ”The Nanny” the dad sticks around when the mom passes away. He gets a nanny for the kids since he doesn't have the time to spend raising the kids by himself. The kids turn out pretty well all because the dad stayed with them. If a modern day family could have done it Jefferson probably could have too. (216 words)
ReplyDeleteLeaving his kids behind in a time of such need does not seem right to me. He would have been just as successful if not more so because his kids would have served as inspiration for things. He would have defiantly written the Declaration of Independence but it probably would have taken longer. At first glance these letters show Thomas Jefferson as an over controlling jerk of a father. But after further reflection I realized that while he was indeed slightly over controlling, but he really cared about them. It is basically the same thing as a modern parent calling back while on a trip to see if everything is all right and asking them to call every few hours (120)
ReplyDeleteI think Thomas Jefferson loved his family and missed his wife a lot. From reading the letters, I believe that leaving his kids was not an easy decision but he did the right thing. I agree with Blandon; traveling alone is easier. And, had he brought his kids with him, Patsy would have had to care for them and I do not think this would have been the ideal situation. I think he would have been distracted during his meetings worrying about what his kids were doing. He was fortunate to have Mrs. Hopkinson take care of Patsy; it seems he trusted and cared for her. It was good that he wrote Patsy letters, it showed he loved her and wanted what was best for her. However, he was way too rigid in his schedule. I think that no matter what, he would have been as successful and he would have written the Declaration of Independence. It may have just taken him a little bit longer. (167)
ReplyDeleteI think Thomas Jefferson was going through hard times, with the passing of his wife and all. I do think he was justified in leaving his children back home, with people HE TRUSTED. He needed to provide for his family and if leaving your kids with someone else is the way it works best, than that’s the way it should happen. But I think that Thomas Jefferson gave Patsy some pretty hard rules to follow. If he had taken his children with him, I think they would have been a distraction to him and his work. It obviously worked for TJ in real history so why argue about whether he should or shouldn’t have taken his kids with him? 119
ReplyDeleteI do not think Thomas Jefferson was wrong in leaving his kids with someone else. I think he did it out of love. If he had taken them with him, he would have always been busy. He wouldn't have been able to spend time with them. They'd be alone. He couldn't teach them, or cook them dinner or just have fun with them. He put them in the care of someone else so that they could have a parent figure around. If his wife hadn't died, she would've stayed home with the kids and he still probably wouldn't have seen them very often. Because he had no wife, it was smart for him to do what he did. They had a mother again, or atleast someone to take care of them and love them. I'm sure that she treated them like her own. I don't know whether he visited them or not, but he should have. I think his success had to do with this decision. It would have been hard to make decisions for a country if you always had to worry about your kids. Some people would say that it shows he was a bad father. I think it shows love for his family, and loyalty to his country. (211)
ReplyDeleteIn ways I think it was right to leave his children and some ways I don’t. I don’t think he should have left them because his wife and the children’s mother had just died. Leaving Patsy and his other children behind wasn’t easy for Thomas Jefferson. He had to do it to support them. Because he left his children with people whom he trusted that doesn’t make his leaving so bad. It was good that he sent letters to his children and still had a bond with them. I don’t think he should have made a schedule for them hour by hour. I think he did this so he made sure his kids were well taken care of. By leaving his children he made many great accomplishments. If he had stayed with his children I don’t think he would be known for some of things he did if he had stayed.
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson was obviously a very caring man. Even though the idea of trying to control your kids' life so strictly is kind of messed up, I really think that he missed them, and in reality, was just trying to care for them the best way he knew how to from a long distance. I think his decision to leave his kids with a friend was good for his job and the country, although it no doubt really hard for the kids considering their mother had just died. He would have written the Declaration of Independence regardless of his children being there, because he really cared about the country and we wouldn't have a country if he hadn't written it. (120 words)
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson looked like he cared a lot about his children. But he loved his country more. So i think he should have at least brought his kids with him instead of letting them live on their own and giving them step by step instructions on how to live. I think that is a very sad man right their. At least he loved his kids a lot so he could send them letters. He was a great man though. I thought if he brought his kids he would have been more hard working than writing letters to them. That is what i think. (113)
ReplyDeleteI think that Thomas Jefferson made the right decision. I think that if he had brought his kids with him, then he would be thinking about them and what they were doing and not focusing as much on the Continental Congress. I think that since he did this it shows how much he loves his country. Some people have said that he was a bad father, but I think he did it out of love. Since he left his kids at home he must have left them with people he trusted. I think he should have been a little easier on them because they just lost there mom. Also the schedule he left Patsy was too detailed. I don't think it would have matter if he had brought his kids or not, I think he still would have written the Declaration of Independence. (143)
ReplyDeleteMr. Haston poses a very thought provoking question. It reminds me of David in the O.T. David is known as Israel's greatest king. And yet his own family was a mess. Treachery, rape and murder . . . it's all in the chronicles of their family/Biblical history. So was it worth it to reign effectively, bringing protection and unity to an entire nation or to rule and govern his own family with diligence and integrity. The answer, I would say, is to do both, to do our best in our vocation but not at the expense of those who call us "parents".
ReplyDeleteMr. Haston,
ReplyDeleteI commend you and your students for such a thoughtful and learning blog! Great Job. Janis Kyser, TAH Director