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The addiction beginsBy Holly Martin Very rarely can you pinpoint to the very minute when a person develops an addiction. For our youngest son--age two--it was a Sunday afternoon at 12:32 p.m. just a few weeks ago. It was then that our friends (or at least I thought they were our friends) suggested that Lincoln show a goat in Pee Wee showmanship. And so it began. Up until that point, it had never occurred to Lincoln that he could also show an animal. He always just "helped" his big brother with his pigs. But, once he got that halter in his hands, you could see the light go on in his eyes. Things will never be the same. To be absolutely fair, I can't blame it all on our friends. Ok, I really can't blame any of it on them--although I'm sure they were trying to plant the seed of showing goats, not pigs, in Lincoln's mind. You see, Lincoln has it in his genes. He's homozygous for the livestock showing trait. Both of his parents carried the gene and now, it is obvious; he has it, too. But if there ever was an addiction I wanted my child to have, this was it. This addiction teaches hard work reaps rewards. It teaches responsibility. And it means time together as a family. How can that be bad? Frankly, I'd rather my children hold a lead rope or a show stick than a liquor bottle or needle. I'd rather they learn skills that will land them in the winner's circle, and not in a jail cell. I'd prefer them to build their self-confidence through competition and not through group therapy. Most importantly, they will have learned valuable skills to make the right choices when faced with the challenges of peer pressure and a destructive addiction. So maybe what I ought to say to our friends is, "Thank you for helping Lincoln get started with his livestock showing career." I know that it will teach him the kinds of things that will help him grow into a responsible young man some day. As my little boy went back to the trailer, he said, "Mommy, I show goat AGAIN!" Yes, the addiction has begun. As proof, he fell asleep in his car seat on the way home, clutching his ribbon in his hands. This is one addiction I can handle as a mother. Holly Martin can be reached by phone at 1-800-452-7171 ext. 1806 or e-mail at hmartin@hpj.com. 6/9/08 Date: 6/4/08
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