Sons and parents

[RJNorton]

This is just my feeling, and it applies mostly to the Springfield years. I think the young boys felt close to both parents pretty equally. I once read that a typical Sunday in the 1850's went as follows: Mary would go to church while Abraham and the boys preferred to stay home and play games and "horseplay" on the living room floor. Abraham was gone from home so much that I think this kind of thing was very important. I believe there was a great deal of love in the Lincoln family - the parents loved the boys and the boys loved the parents. I know Mary hosted birthday parties for the boys and had a particularly large one in 1859 for Willie's 9th birthday. She personally addressed invitations to 50 or 60 children. I know I have read that Willie was the favorite of both parents, but I rather think this is simply an author's opinion, not necessarily actual fact. I think the love was equally shared within the family. Just my opinion.

I believe the young boys were attached to both parents; the issues between Mary and Robert came much later in life.