As a child of the 80s, all of my digital childhood memories were recorded on VHS tapes.
One such tape shows some family fun on my Uncle's farm. At that moment in time, I was frantic, and at times hysterical. Only looking back can I see how the fun and the funny.
My Uncle was a dairy farmer. Periodically throughout the year, baby calves would grace the presence of his farm. My cousins were quite adept at maneuvering around the farm, and I ... well ... not so much.
Mental Image #1
Eight your old me wrestling an empty milk bottle from a hungry calf. The bottle did not start off empty. At first, it was full and difficult to handle. I am still amazed at how aggressively those calves attacked the bottles. And there was slobber - lots and lots of white, foamy, milky slobber. I was always grateful that there was a fence between me and the calves.
Mental Image #2
Things got even more interesting when the fence was gone. On one occasion, several of the grandkids decided to run around inside the calf pen. Once again, my cousins' farm experience proved to be important. I kept trying to act brave but mostly ran around screaming frantically as the calves galloped around near me in the pen. I was never in danger, but I was not enjoying myself.
Family Pets
Those farm memories are one of the few memories I have regarding animals as a child. The only childhood pets I recall were some neon tetras. Fish were more of my mom's style. They stayed confined, and they did not shed. I did raise some chickens for 4H and had a dog (that I do not remember) that got ran over. Those are stories for a different time.
Flash forward to the present. My kids sit around our dining room table and share about all the animals they want to have, and they make it sound like we are a regular bunch of Doolittles. We currently rent, and our agreement with the landlord is that "no pets are allowed." Therefore, we abide by those rules and can't offer our kiddos the classic "guinea pig" classroom experience.
Creative Solution
My wife stumbled upon a unique opportunity that I want share with the @homeedders community. Maybe you already have a guinea pig or "classroom" rat. Regardless, here is a chance to add a calf into the mix - without all slobber and cow poop.
Let me introduce to you Adopt A Cow!
Adopt A Cow is a FREE experience for traditional classrooms and homeschooling families.
Donations are welcome but not required. We opted for the FREE version. Sorry kiddos! No Cow & Journal Kit for you!
IMPORTANT If you are reading this and are interested, you need to sign up now. Registration ends within hours!
Per the website:
Throughout the program, you’ll find out what her name (the calf) is, when her birthday is, where she lives and how the farmer takes care of her.
Over the next several months, we expect to receive digital communication about our adopted calf. We will be sure to share as we walk through this process with our bovine friend.
Final Thoughts
One of the incredible things about homeschooling is we get to tailor the learning experience to our giftings as educators and the needs of our kiddos. The sky is the limit on how we can customize our days and the "life lessons" we teach.
If there is a cow-sized hole in your child's learning experience, consider adopting a calf this school year (again, the deadline is about to expire).
Gerbils and guinea pigs were so 2000s. We live in the 2020s! Go big or go homeschooling!
I want to hear from you
- Do you have a family pet?
- Do you have a homeschool mascot?
Thanks for stopping by!
@SumatraNate
