Tadpoles

With the weather warming, it has been nearly impossible to keep Robby away from the stream. Actually, the temperature has little to do with the attraction. He will hop in the water while I'm bundled up in a jacket. At every opportunity he has been gravitating towards the stream ever since the deep freeze of winter has left.

A few weeks ago Robby discovered a colony of tadpoles living in the stream. He was giddy when he caught his first little swimming friend. After talking with his teacher, we decided that it would be a fun class project to watch the tadpoles change into frogs. Robby was more than happy to oblige and easily caught two plump little tadpoles to be adopted as his class pets.

Robby's little classmates love watching the tadpoles. Every morning they eagerly run over to the small aquarium to check on them. Twice a week, rain or shine, I schlep down to the stream and fill a pitcher with fresh water for the aquarium. Watching the water being changed in the tank is quite the spectacle in his class as all of the kids crowd around me eager to watch and help!

Yesterday while changing the water, we discovered that the plumper tadpole is beginning to grow frog legs. Talk about exciting! Within moments of the discovery Robby's entire kindergarten class was frog jumping all around the classroom, singing and ribbit-ing with gusto.

After jumping for several minutes, Robby came over to finish "helping" me change the water. He looked at the smaller tadpole and noticed that he was not yet growing his legs. Quickly all of his friends stopped hopping and came over to inspect for themselves.

His teacher and I were quickly peppered with questions. "Why doesn't the other tadpole have his legs yet?" "Why is he so much smaller?"  "Is he going to be okay?"  "Is he going to die?" "Will he still turn into a frog?" The hopping happy class quickly became frantic and worried over the little legless tadpole.

I tried to explain that tadpoles all develop at different times, just as they all grow at different speeds. The tadpole will be okay, and he will grow his legs. Despite my attempts, I could tell that they were not convinced. Then Robby added his two cents- "Don't worry everybody. Just stay calm. If the tadpole doesn't grow his legs Momom and me will take him to see Mr. Elliot. He will build some prosthetic legs for the tadpole so he will be able to hop."

His teacher looked uncomfortable. I had to keep myself from giggling. Robby's peers thought that made perfect sense and stopped panicking about the undeveloped little legs. To Robby, it made perfect sense. I just love his little perspective on the world.