Ramblings Of The Farmers Wife!

 Family Recreation Builds Strong Families

We started a non-profit animal farm two years to help those in need with animal-assisted activities. We had just purchased a beautiful miniature Appaloosa named Patch. He had one eye as he had lost his other shortly after birth. The previous owner would take Patch to hospitals, nursing homes, and other events. I knew that Patch needed to continue his work, and our family could use the opportunity to serve others. As a family, we started our journey. The first invitation came from a local nursing home inviting us to bring some of our animals to a 4th of July celebration. We took Patch, Danny, one of our sheep, and Archie, my dad’s Nigerian dwarf goat, the first year. Each of my children handled one of the animals allowing the residents to pet and hug the animals. The animals had red, white, and blue headbands on, and we had lights around our necks. Watching the comfort our animals bring to the residents is what makes the day perfect. They always look forward to our visits, and we always look forward to visiting them.

 This year because of COVID-19, we could not attend the annual 4th of July celebration or have activities on our farm as planned. We are hopeful that this next year we will be able to resume. My children do not always enjoy the work that comes with having animals, but I know they appreciate the joy the animals bring to those in need. It is not always about our happiness; sometimes, it is about the happiness of others.

Do all members of your family like your family activities? Everyone should enjoy the activities it is not fair to only think of ourselves when planning activities, you must consider the other members in the family and their enjoyment. The three types of recreation are as follows:

• Parallel involves multiple family members doing the same thing but not interacting with each other much such as watching movies and television.
• Joint: High level of communication and interaction such as canoeing, kayaking, chess, and checkers leads to great satisfaction and strengthening of relationships.
• Independent: activities are done alone, which can have negative effects.

Overscheduling can put constraints on family recreations between school, work, and extracurricular activities. It is hard to find time to spend all together. This year COVID-19 allowed families to spend more uninterrupted time together without all the distractions. Yes, COVID has been frightening and challenging. It has allowed families to clear schedules and make time for recreation.

 For our family, raising a premature baby goat, which we named Milo, game nights, movies, and road trips to the mountains have been some of the adventures we shared. Fishing, looking at the wildflowers, and visiting ghost towns allowed us time without distractions from phones and electronic devices. While I am thankful for the technology and all that it provides, it does consume a lot of our time. Growing a garden, swimming in the backyard, and cuddling with our animals have helped strengthen our relationships and bring peace and comfort during this time in our lives.