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As a mom, I have talked many times about how much I love 4-H
here. Most of the time I don’t
talk about the livestock projects that my kids are involved in, because there
is so much more to 4-H than livestock projects, but today I want to show their
calves in the beauty shop.
Of course, every trip to the beauty shop starts with a good
shampoo. Big brother was getting his
heifer Norma II ready to go to a show…
Little brother thought Winnie needed to get a bath, too…
The boys use a wonderful plastic massaging brush that the
girls really seem to like.
Winnie didn’t like her bath at first. I find that the calves are a lot like
babies. The first several times that I
gave my boys a bath they screamed like I was trying to kill them. The calves don’t bawl or cry, but they do
pull back on their halters and try to get free.
By July, they will almost go the washrack by themselves because it apparently feels good to be clean.
Next the girls moved on to the blow dryer and got their hair
brushed.
Perfect form is necessary...
Things have been really rainy, humid and hard to get things
dried out. Norma and my 10 year old got
lots of time with the blow dryer. He
dried…
And dried…
And dried…
And dried…
Doesn’t she look lovely?!
Next, we gave her a haircut.
I am a believer that all kids should know how to clip and fit their own
project. It is not my project and I like
to teach the kids how to clip their own animal.
He has been clipping their heads for several years and is getting better
all the time. He still thinks the
clippers are heavy and sometimes he wants mom to finish things up.
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After her trip to the beauty shop, Norma went to her first
show. She didn’t perform quite like my
little man would have liked, but I was excited how well they both worked
together and how hard he was truly
trying.
I read an article last week one of my friends shared about
college athletes and how the most important thing that they heard from their
parents growing up was, “I love to watch you play.” I took this info to heart and started telling
them I love to watch you show. I got the
biggest smiles and hugs afterward.
Showing with your own kids is a lot exactly like coaching your
own kids sports team. At some point, in
the drive home you have to go back to being mom and not coach.
Have a great day, give your kids a hug, and tell them how
much you like to watch them whether it’s soccer, baseball, dancing, or showing
livestock.
-A Kansas Farm Mom
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I really enjoy this pos! great job! And you're right about telling your children how you love to watch them!
ReplyDeleteMy fifteen month old and I happened into a 4-H livestock clinic over the weekend (I thought we were at a maple festival!) and I was SO CONFUSED when I realized there were four people standing around a cow giving it a hair cut, and a fifth fellow explaining about why and how to trim it. I ended up asking a woman what on earth was going on, and she explained it was to teach the kids how to get their animals ready for shows. I had no idea how involved the whole process was, and it really gave me a new appreciation for 4-H. Thanks for sharing this here!
ReplyDeleteLOL I am so glad that I could post this just in time for you to learn from your weekend outing. :)
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