Everybody loves Hugo

Last week, L came running into the room shouting about boycotting Nestle for cutting down the rain forest. I was on the phone, so I whispered to her that I didn’t know anything about it but would look into it with her later. Shortly after that, she reappeared with this note written on the backside of the top of her tissue box. I forgot about it. The next day, she asked me very urgently if I had researched the issue yet. We talk a lot about the veracity of web sources and the importance of checking everything with a reliable source. I didn’t have time to get to it that evening, so the same thing happened again the next day, so I realized I had better put in on my high-priority list, because it was important to her.

After I researched the issue and explained the whole thing to her, she was very satisfied that she was correct. She now takes great pleasure in telling people that they should boycott Nestle, because they are getting palm oil from a source that destroys rain forests to get it. So, we are boycotting Nestle. Its L’s first completely self-initiated political action, so I’m very proud of her. And even though we don’t buy any products from Nestle, we are boycotting them in spirit! ;)

She’s been spending time online debating and arguing with hunters. I watch very closely, but I haven’t had to interfere at all. While I want to completely shred these adults that are arguing with my baby, it’s important for her to be able to handle it on her own, so I keep my mouth shut and my fingers off the keyboard. I really, really wish these vile adults who get off on killing knew that the person who is holding her own and making them look kind of stupid is a 10 year old little girl. Can you just imagine their ugly, murderous faces when their ignorant little caveman-like brains realized that they have been bested by a 10 yr old girl?!! Their already tiny, underdeveloped little penises would shrivel even more. I guess for the first time in my life, I can say that these hunters do serve a purpose (though the world would still be infinitely better off without them). They are providing wonderful training material for my little warrior to sharpen her teeth on. They are also confirming to her that people who hunt really are ignorant, cowardly, and absolutely a waste of space. It’s so nice when they serve as a perfect example for what she’s been taught about them! They are a very obliging group of killers at least.

L and Mark went on a hiking adventure Saturday morning, which gave me time to clean. It was a nice day, though still quite cool—especially the water, but that has never slowed her down. She caught seven frogs. That’s one of those issues I feel very ambivalent about. She is very careful and gentle with them, and I don’t worry about her hurting them physically. She just likes the contact with them. She catches them and immediately lets them hop away. BUT I can’t help but thinking it is frightening to the frog. They don’t know her intentions are kind, and are probably quite afraid. She has always adored frogs and turtles, and loves the chance to interact closely with them. I do believe that close and frequent interaction with all forms of nature, from an early age on, benefits both the child and the natural world. I believe there is no long-term damage whatsoever to the frogs. As a child who grew up very ‘different’ from those around me, I am acutely aware of how easy it is to carry one’s personal beliefs to the extent that the child resents those beliefs. I kind of feel like this could be one of those issues, and it’s certainly not the hill I am choosing to die on. This falls into that huge bucket of judgment calls I’m not totally sure are right. I hope that it proves to be the kindest, least harmful alternative, but I just don’t know. I hate things like that!

Anyway, she was really annoyed that several of the frogs completely ignored her and kept on doing what they love to do in the spring (see last post if you’re not clear on this ;-) and didn’t even try to hop away when she got close. She probably could have picked them right up, but she didn’t want to touch them. She really doesn’t like when animals do that. She also gets pissed about the box elder bugs that like to hang on our door for days mating. She finds it all quick ‘icky’.