Yes, you read that correctly. My 17-year-old Piccolina is now the proud owner of a goat. Allow me to explain. As some of you can imagine, yes, she is doing this for a high school FFA project. She has wanted to raise an animal for a few years, but we had always encouraged her to wait. Apparently, this was the year.
My daughter is a part of FFA (Future Farmers of America) and attends an Academy for Engineering and Science within our school district. One of the most amazing parts of her program is that they recognize her “Ag” (Agricultural) classes as part of her science and leadership requirements. Piccolina has had several amazing experiences being part of both entities and has learned that agriculture is more than farms and livestock, and that science is more than laboratories and research. Her high school experience has allowed her to be challenged with advanced science and math yet grounded in learning the hands-on growth of plants and animals. FFA is where my daughter has learned leadership and negotiation skills. There have been opportunities for situational role play using parliamentary procedure and improvisational skill. I could go on and on, but I have not mentioned the goat which is the basis of this article.
What I can tell you at this point is my Piccolina listened to every reason we have given in years past why she could not raise an animal. This week she addressed them resolutely and with conviction. I can say her ability to advocate for herself has come a long way, I am thinking that I should thank FFA and the ACES academy, but then again, she bought a goat…
A goat, in the world of FFA animals, is small and (fairly) affordable. She asked that the purchase of the animal was a loan, and that she would pay us back off the top when she sells the goat in the spring. My wise daughter has also asked to stop her other beloved activity, ridding horses. Wise indeed, as she did the math of what the cost per month was for her lessons and the cost of feed and care for the goat. Her fantastic FFA teacher (teacher seems like an understatement for all the Gentleman does for his students) escorted the students and their parents to the goat farm and the feed store, on a Saturday. During this whole process he demonstrated such amazing skills to the students of how to handle yourself in a real negotiation, how to know your budget and stick to it, how to ask questions of the goat farmer and how to walk away respectfully if the purchase was not meant to be. Amazing right? And now there is a goat as a member of the family.
Piccolina also made her list of all the supplies and all that was needed to finish the goat’s pen on Sunday. She handled the hardware store and asking to have lumber cut to specific lengths to hold the bedding in the animal pen. She has worked to be sure she can measure out the correct amount of feed and nutrition. I drove the car, carried the buckets, and marveled how she has grown up. I sat to the side as she shared with me that this is her project and she needs to be the one taking care of him, the goat. I am looking at my 17-year-old and feel remarkably calm about her future. I did not see this coming.
My daughter is a creative at heart. She interviewed and earned one of the district internships for photography. She is applying for Agricultural Communications with hopes of Law School in the future. Piccolina is a lot like Tinkerbelle, she can tinker and fix anything. She has an amazing eye for beauty and will never miss an opportunity to take a photo of a sunrise or, at this juncture, a goat. This school year feels like the last chapter of a great mystery novel. How will all the pieces of her education and personality come together? What will all this mean in May when she walks across the stage and is handed her diploma? Something happened and my Piccolina is rapidly growing up.
It feels like the end of how the Grinch Stole Christmas, I stand, “..puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags…”, (How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr Seuss) she is grown up and she will be leaving our home. We will have new and different memories ahead. It will not be perfect; it never has been. But it will be her story to write, and pictures to take. All of this and a goat to raise.
Thank you for taking a few moments to read these words. If you enjoyed them, please share with your people! To join the email community for the Hopeful Hostess, click here: https://thehopefulhostess.com/blog/ . If you would like to keep up with Mona, The Hopeful Hostess Modern Etiquette and Communication workshops and events, click here: https://thehopefulhostess.com. Until next time, stay Hopeful and keep in touch!
Sincerely,
Mona
The Hopeful Hostess 