Helicopter Moms at the Farm

 

I am never sure how to share what happens here at the farm and what it might mean to someone but I thought I might share a bit of what happened today with my Mothers and Daughters.  We all can relate to how we think our Mothers might have messed up in the way in which they raised us but I also remind myself everyday that "We do better when we know better) and (There always comes a point when out of our mouths we will hear our Mothers words)  Recently I heard the phrase Helicopter Mom and was not sure what that meant or if at times raising my sons I might have been one of those Mooms. Here is why I thought of that today.

 

 

Today while having a unplanned shearing day at the farm I was struck by how well I know my animals and how much they are like humans in their behavior.  This picture is of Rebbecca who is anything but a helicopter mom...  She is a confident and steady individual and she imparts that in her offspring.  When I caught her daughter Roxie who is fast as the wind and is no easy gal I called Rebbecca over to tell her daughter to behave.  With no language barrier at all Rebbecca came over the the pen stuck her head in licked Roxie's face, then my leg and walked off about 5 feet and sat down.  She watched me as I took my time to remove the huge blanket of fleece, if Roxie got antsy Rebbecca made one sound and all was calm again...

Now I wished all mothers at my farm were the same style as Rebbecca but then there is Monica - one of those Helicopter Mothers and her daughter Babbette is not the easiest to work with because of it.  Monica is shy and not one to allow Babbette to do much on her own.  Monica was an amazing mother when Babbette was born and I was so thankful that she did such a great job but with time she has become clingy and needy.  Babbette is fast as lightening and can jump clean over my head if she feels the need.  Babbette was no easy catch and would not quite in the shearing pen.  It was not because I have every hurt her or this is her first shearing it is because Monica paces back and forth outside the pen, talking the whole time in a worried voice, and basically freaks out the whole barn.  She is worse if I throw her outside of the barn - last time Monica sounded like she was being killed outside.  Once I got Babbette to quite down and we hit our rhythm that freaked Monica out even more.  Her way of dealing was biting others and basically making everyone want to slap her silly.  Remind you of anyone???

Now just so we are clear I understand why both Goat Mothers are the way they are - partly it is how they were raised by their mothers, next is was how their birthing experience went and lastly some days, or weeks, or even months we might just be unsettled and so we act maybe not in the best ways but again - we all do the best we can. 

As the sun sat today and I checked on the girls there sat Monica her daughter curled up next to her sleeping away.  On the other side of the barn was Rebecca and Roxie curled up the same way also resting.  I smiled at both and said my goodnights .  On the way back to the house I gave thanks for getting to spend a long, hard, hot day with my sweet girls no matter how over the top they may be.