Fish in a barrel

As part of the wrap-up to Gavin's preschool year, the class headed to a trout farm to learn how to fish. Naturally, I was assigned parental duties on this field trip and was excited at that thought of making it all look easy. It's a trout farm, with a small pond... how hard could catching a few fish right away really be in this setting? Conditions were perfect!

I've debated the idea of telling a fish story here about Gavin and his buddies showing all the girls how to bait a hook and catch fish... not so. In fact Gavin, the most experienced fisherman in his class, got skunked and of all the boys in his class, only one fish was tagged and cleaned for the ice chest ride home. (even though Gavin was the only one of the boys willing to hold the fish)

It turns out, boys and girls are very different. 4 and half year old boys when hanging out together have the attention span of... well 4 year olds. Add to that staring at a fishing line and the ability to sit still goes from marginal to impossible. Now 4 and half year old girls on the other hand are extremely observant, paying attention to everything they're being taught and waiting patiently. So while all the boys were playing sword fights with sticks they broke from the trees and running circles around the pond, the girls were quickly and quietly catching their limit of trout. The day was truly an amazing experience for everyone, fish or no fish. Parenting and being in the outdoors, what a blessing.