We all have our faults and our strong suits—knowing which are which is the key. I happen to be an excellent field trip chaperone. I haven't lost a kid yet, but I also know how to have a good time. And I don't mind riding a schoolbus.
Today's excursion was to the EcoTarium in Worcester—along with 60+ fifth graders (and their attitudes, in some cases). After two days of torrential rain this week, I was starting to have nightmares of slogging through mud in sodden clothing for 4 hours, but today dawned sunny and breezy, if a bit cool. I had never even heard of the EcoTarium, and it's a pretty cool place. We learned about different habitats and ecosystems, saw all kinds of critters (red fox, bald eagle, horned owl, otter, etc.), and even collected pond scum and looked at the plankton under a microscope (Just the girls now: "Ewwwwww!" Again, but even louder: "Ewwwwww!").
I do get depressed whenever I see animals in zoos and such (nobody likes to see a bored polar bear lying on a rock in the blazing sun), but at least this place just takes care of rescued/injured animals. They don't seek out new animals, and they don't allow the animals to mate—that is, they don't promote future generations of animals in captivity.
All in all, a lovely day, but I am exhausted. Being on high mental alert (endlessly counting and re-counting the kids in my group) on top of all the exploring we did really wiped me out.
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