10 Ways to Survive Your Kid’s Hamilton Obsession


10 Ways to Survive Your Kid’s Hamilton Obsession

Meet little Hamaholics on their own terms

The Pulitzer Prize–winning musical Hamilton has generated a nation of Hamaholics. Ever since their performance on the Grammys, show creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and his wonderfully diverse ensemble are attracting new fans by the hour. President Obama, Amy Schumer, Rosie O’Donnell, and Katie Couric are just some of the well-known folks who can’t get enough of Hamilton.

But it’s not just adults who are obsessed. Kids all over the country can be found lugging around Ron Chernow’s 818-page Hamilton biography, using the hashtag #Hamilkids, and putting the cast album on repeat play. Heads up! All American kids are susceptible, and if your child isn’t already Hamilton obsessed, there’s a strong possibility the fever could strike soon.

As a mom to three Hamilkids, I’m here to share some of the warning signs and how to handle them:

  1. Expect swooning over the bill printed with the face of the $10 founding father. Use it to your advantage to get chores done. You might even be able to trade one for an Andrew Jackson—aka Harriet Tubman.
  2. Hamilkids may take to sliding into a room, asking “What’d I miss?” Smile and enjoy. After all, it’s a much better greeting than “Wazzup?”
  3. Bookish Hamilkids will spout historical fun facts, such as, “Did you know Hamilton only drank champagne?” Try to act interested, even if it’s the 40th fun fact in the last hour.
  4. Be prepared for a bizarre interest in New Jersey and for your Hamilkid to point out that “Everything is legal in New Jersey.” Pretend you didn’t hear, especially if dueling is mentioned.
  5. Freak-outs over a Hamilton Inn, the town of Elizaville, or Lafayette Square are all symptoms of the obsession. And guess where a Hamilkid wants to attend college? Hint: it’s not Washington University. On long car trips, turn their passion into a game: Who can spot the most Hamilton-related geographical points of interest? Yorktown! Washington Bridge!
  6. Giggling and whispering about the Reynolds Pamphlet also come with the territory. This is a great opportunity to teach them about the birds, the bees, and the two-timing losers.
  7. Beware the advent of the British accent. Hamilkids often will employ overdramatic British accents when using the words “push,” “shove,” or the phrase “you belong to me.” Since this gets very annoying very fast, start doing the same, and a Hamilkid will stop instantly.
  8. The impulse to rap as quickly as Daveed Diggs will lead to some god-awful rapping that every parent of a Hamilkid must endure. Just nod and say, “Wow, you’re amazing!”
  9. Be prepared for some colorful new words and turns of phrase, such as “bastard,” “son of a whore,” and “I’ll show you where the shoe fits.” Use your own discretion here. Who are we to squelch vocabulary building?
  10. A final predictable behavior is frantic YouTube searching for all things Hamiltonian, such as Miranda rapping with Jimmy Fallon, for President Obama, and at a Wesleyan graduation. Discoveries such as Miranda and Stephen Colbert spoofing the long-forgotten signer of the Declaration of the Independence Button Gwinnett; the “Got Hamilton?” parody featuring Leslie Odom, Jr., as Aaron Burr; the Sweeney Todd homage; and nine classic rap references in Hamilton will put your kid in an endless loop of Hamiltonmania. Seize this opportunity to take a nap or organize your sock drawer!

The best way to cope with little Hamaholics is to meet them on their own terms, learn their language, and support this unique and educational moment in their childhood. I wake up mine by singing “Rise Up!” and then warn, “Mommy has her eyes on you!” If they fight and fuss, I order, “Meet me inside,” where I may threaten “One last time” or beseech them to “Talk less, smile more,” which, of course, prompts my Hamilkids to roll their eyes and groan, “She’s nonstop!”


Dr. Marika Lindholm founded ESME.com to ignite a social movement of Solo Moms. A trained sociologist, Marika taught courses on inequality, diversity, and gender at Northwestern University for over a decade. After a divorce left her parenting two children on her own, she realized Solo Moms lacked much-needed resources, support, and connection. She built her social platform, Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere, out of this combination of academic and personal experience. Marika is also the coeditor of We Got This: Solo Mom Stories of Grit, Heart, and Humor, a frank, funny, and unflinchingly honest anthology—written by 75 Solo Mom writers, including Amy Poehler, Anne Lamott, and Elizabeth Alexander—that celebrates Solo Moms: their tenacity, courage, and fierce love for their children. Marika can be reached at marika@esme.com.

Please feel free to CONTACT US with any comments or questions.


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