Wednesday, May 21, 2008

On Providing Weapons to Toddlers

Having seen most of the animals, and being terribly upset about leaving the carousel, the only thing we could top it off with was real live animals to touch. So off to the petting zoo, we went.

Upon entering the cage, he decided that he must brush every goat. He didn't have to brush them well, but it was clear that the goal was to touch each and every goat.


Did you know that the Houston zoo will provide your toddler with a weapon?

They are conveniently located in a little basket just inside the gate to the petting zoo.

Sure, they're disguised as brushes. But they're weapons. The goats know it, and I know it.

It's hard enough to chase your toddler around to try to get a good picture of him petting a goat, but to have to chase him as he chases a goat, who is running because he's wielding that weapon, makes it just that much harder. Possibly an Olympic event. Not to mention the 30 other kids who have no idea that they might be in the way of the perfect shot.

I'd say half the goats were hanging out in the "no people zone." Just to avoid the weaponry. Not that that helped, because some people can't read. And surprisingly some of their parents couldn't either, and I suppose they were not technically "in" the "no people" zone, but I don't think they meant for you to be hanging over the rope trying to get at the animals who only need a break. For the love of Pete!



Anyway, we brushed all the goats who would allow it. And we were nearing nap time, and knew that beast of all beasts was about to show his face. It was shortly after leaving the goat pen, that we headed out to the parking lot. It was a good day. It was such good weather. It appears that the train in Hermann park is not running - they look like they're building some kind of fancy train station. To be complete in March of 2009. So next year, we'll also ride the train.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh no! The train is down? That's the only part of the zoo trip that AE really cares about. And it irritates the crap out of me that it is an extra cost every time. So wait, maybe it isn't a bad thing after all.

AE is also timid about brushing the goats. Good Lord.

Anonymous said...

After looking online, it appears that we really just didn't know where to go.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=6006262

There's a big construction fence up around everything with the announcement of the complete in March 2009 train station sign, and to me, that said - no train. But then, by that time, we were trying to get a tired toddler to the car before he threw a huge fit, so I didn't look very hard.

Anonymous said...

Every time we go to the zoo, I expect the animals at the petting zoo to rise up and start terrorizing all the kids. But they never do.

Aunt Becky said...

That is SO CUTE. And so stupid on the part of the zoo! My kids treat hairbrushes as the devil, so I can imagine how goats feel.