Animal School

Yesterday Timmy enjoyed his first day of Animal Parks school. He was excited to join his new buddies on the carpet circle, careful to make sure he was sitting squarely on the alligator image. He was squirmy through the story, but compared to some of the other kiddos he was fairly tame. He was attentive, polite and waited for his turn. I could not have been prouder of my little Hamlet!

The only time Timmy struggled was during the time to pet the baby ducks. For some reason, he was apprehensive about approaching the cage by himself. Rather than seeking my assistance, he walked right past me and reached for Robby's hand. Robby was patient and accompanied his brother to the front of the classroom, encouraging him to touch the baby duckling.  

After the class was over, we spent the afternoon playing at the animal park. Robby shadowed several of the zookeepers, learning about each animal and assisting when possible. After forging a relationship, I overheard him ask about an internship. Unfortunately, he needs to be 14. He was disappointed, but we were left with the impression that the zookeepers are willing to take him under their wing whenever possible. We are considering his participation as an unofficial, junior intern. 

The boys came home from the park sun-soaked and covered with dirt. My body was tired from walking with a compromised gait and my limb was sore from the ill-fitting liner. If I hadn't been in discomfort, it would have been the perfect day.