Farm Kids
I see those posts all the time saying “The world needs more farm kids.” I have a farm kid and I’m surrounded by them. Know what they have in common? Parents with work or a hobby that involves not only them, but their family, and other adults. It’s not necessarily the farm that makes them different it’s involving them. On the farm we just don’t have a choice. As farm parents we have to make our kids a part of that daily life and that’s what makes them stand out a little younger than some. They also learn about safety around equipment and animals and that it’s not just about bumps and bruises. They must understand early that they could be seriously injured. Life on the farm can be very black and white.
They also learn how to use tools and equipment very early because everyone around them is constantly using them. My nephew who’s 5 can swing a hammer with some serious force! My niece who’s 7 can drive the mule, cinch up her horse, and loves gardening with grandma or myself. As they get into their teens they tend to have some skills that are unique. For example my 4 year old knows exactly how this skid steer works. Imagine the job possibilities for him as a teen! Maybe he’ll work for a land clearing crew, a large farm, or start his own little side business. It doesn’t take the farm to get these results though. It takes parents getting them involved in what they already do.
Planning a garden? Involve the kids. It’s shocking what they can do! Learn to use a shovel, be responsible for watering, (learning to coil up a hose is a life skill ya know,) teach them to enjoy planting and the excitement of watching things grow. We have a local greenhouse that allowed the kids to plant tomatoes early this spring and each week they go and measure them. Soon these now HUGE plants will come home and the kids will be responsible for watering. My sister in law turned it into a school project and had them make line graphs even!
What hobby do you have? Boating or fishing? Teach your small child to help you hook up the boat and why you take the steps you do. Before you know it they will be backing you up and cranking it on the ball! Have them help! Trust me….I KNOW it slows things down. I KNOW it’s easier to give them a toy or a tablet so you can get something done. You may even think a certain job just isn’t safe for them. How else will they truly learn what’s safe in life if we don’t teach them young?
Farm kids may have some unique skills but they also grow up pretty fast emotionally. This is not a cushy life. They learn about life and death as well. My son has been alongside me for sick or injured horses and cattle and even the loss of them. He doesn’t quite understand it all but he does know it makes mom very sad. I feel that these are all things that will help develop him emotionally. He sees us cope with the stress of running the farm and when problems come his way I hope we demonstrated a healthy way of dealing with it. As hard as that part of life can be I don’t think they should be sheltered from it all. Some parts of course depending on their age, but these tough situations make for a young adult that is emotionally strong. I’ve seen it with many of my riding lessons kids as they go off to college. They are different in good way.
Maybe you live in town but could raise some chickens or rabbits with them. Help them grow their own veggie garden. Get them involved in 4H! Did you know you DO NOT have to own an animal to do 4H? There are so many things kids can do and learn through those types of programs. Another things that’s pretty neat and I see more often now is outdoor pre schools. These are very hands on! The one my son went to last fall hiked, did gardening, went to the small farm they had, and made their own snacks from the food grown there.
So my point is I suppose that it’s not just the farm that makes them different. It’s the people, it’s involving the kids in what you’re doing, and it’s not sheltering them from the sad parts of life. You don’t have to have a farm to raise a “farm kid.”
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”