Recently I listened to the podcast “We Can Do Hard Things” with Glennon Doyle. The theme was Fun. Their definition of fun came from Abby Wombach who said that fun is when you enter into an activity without knowing the outcome. That is the definition of every day for a toddler.
Monday was the first day of Camp Mamoo. (Thomas (21 months) calls me “Mamoo”) He and his mother, daughter Katherine, are visiting and cousin Leo, 2 1/2, spent the night. Leo has come to know that when Mamére takes him someplace, it will be fun. “Going to ‘nother fun place.”
“Today we are going to a farm.”
“Yay!”
When we passed a horse, Leo yelled, “I saw a horse. That’s great!”
The farm is in nearby St. Martinville. Belle Ècorce Farms sells goat cheese in a small portable using the honor system, a locked money box. A small town luxury.
When we got to the farm, we walked around to see some of the animals. The boys were mesmerized. Or scared.
The loose animals, rooster, chickens, and geese were particularly frightening. A billy goat in a fence came up and climbed onto the fence, expecting something good to eat.
“You don’t have to get close. Just watch.” The boys stood still as statues to watch the billy goat.
I haven’t decided yet if this was a fun experience. The boys were easy. They stayed close to us, no run and chase games. We talked on the way home.
“What did we see at the farm?”
“Moo,” says Thomas.
“Umm, rooster!” says Leo.
All I know for sure is that a day with toddlers is a day of Fun.
Reflections on the Teche 