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To me, the issue isn't as much that the kid has a duck for a pet and loves it and wants to bring it everywhere, but that the parents LET her bring an actual, live duck everywhere, which they admit to, and don't have the ability to say no to her. I get that a little kid would want to bring her favorite security item anywhere - even if that "item" is a live animal, but there reaches a point where a parent should say "no" to the kid wanting to bring it to certain places. Like sorry, but your duck cannot come in the food store with us. Your favorite stuffed animal cannot go to school with you so you can carry it around all day and probably get made fun of, as well. I mean, as a parent you have to draw the line somewhere. Her behavior may be normal, but the parents giving in to her all the time certainly is not.
"He goes everywhere that ducks are allowed and almost everywhere they're not allowed," Mike said.
"I don't know if you've ever had a 2-year-old or a 4-year-old that wouldn't leave home without its blankie -- she would not leave home without her duck. And at that point, nothing is negotiable." - I mean, this is kinda not okay IMHO. Nothing is negotiable? Sure it is. You're the parent. You're in charge. You can say no. You SHOULD say no at some point.
They list these places as the beach, sledding, soccer practices, sleepovers, and trick-or-treating. All these seem fine to me, but if they also include public indoor places, or even certain public outdoor places, I don't know how okay it is. I guess it depends on where exactly they let her bring the duck. If it truly is EVERYWHERE, then they're doing something wrong.
What happens when the girl goes to school? That should be interesting.
They both adjust. It's exactly like little kids with a dog or cat who loves them. They both miss each other like crazy for the first week, but by the second, the pet has learned its child will be coming back at a regular hour each day and won't fuss until that hour approaches.
My son had a pet cockatiel and a dog at the same time. Both would go to the couch and look out the window, anticipating his arrival, about 20 minutes before he showed up. The bird knew when he was getting close before the dog, but both knew long before I did that he was on his way home.
When he finally came through the door, the routine was always the same. Lots of barking and shrieking in excitement, and then the dog would jump up and down while the bird would fly onto one shoulder and start grooming his hair. After a few minutes everyone calmed down and went on with the rest of the afternoon.
His cockatiel was just like that duck. It loved my son, and tolerated the rest of us, but pretty much ignored us. The dog's relationship with the bird was about the same, but on a rare instance when all 3 were very happy, the bird climbed onto the dog's back and groomed her. The bird loved to be petted by my son, but wouldn't allow the rest of us to touch it. (I never knew if it was male or female.)
When he wasn't around, the bird spent most of its time on its perch. We let it fly around, but it never flew around the house all that much when he was gone.
Yep...people have parakeets, cockatiels, all sorts of parrots, love birds, finches, budgies, cockatoos, conures, parakeets, etc. for pets and no one thinks twice.
Why not a duck?
Ducks are delicious, and considered poultry too!
Nah... more than one TV show has had duck pets. I really don't think it's that out of line.
The above story may sound cute, but to anyone familiar with keeping ducks, it'll make you cringe.
First, they go out and buy a SINGLE DUCKLING for their young child. Ducklings are happiest with other ducklings and most places won't sell you just one for that reason. The girl was FOUR YEARS OLD when they bought HER the duckling! I hope to God they read up on basic duck care, but I'm not holding my breath.
Second, the girl (who is 5, not 2) can apparently not leave the house without "Snowflake".
Is the word "No" not in your vocabulary?
Plus the girls whole "I'm his mommy!" thing is super creepy to me. When she was interviewed she was ADAMENT that she was the duck's "Mommy". I don't have kids, but is that normal for that age group?
Hard to say no to kids. I don't have my own, so I can't speak from experience, but have heard from others about that.
I find it no different from a little girl that takes care of a doll as if it were her own child. Or how kids still believe in Santa Claus for many many years to come.
ahhh but OP isn't happy! there is no way she is happy about this unnatural mothering situation!
OP I wish youdve had a Banty when you were little. Then you would get it. The feathered friends are just so grateful to be out of a pot they will bond with anyone.
Reminds me of the story of a young girl who raised a sheep for FFOA. The bidding was going higher and higher, the young girl started to cry, then one man bid $1,000 and gave the lamb back to the owner.
The story went that the girl wrote a school paper that she was so happy about the money she was raising and that the lamb got $1,000 and so her family cooked it later and she wrote "It tasted real good"
Oh man, what a story! I wonder how the kind-hearted philanthropist felt about that!
"He goes everywhere that ducks are allowed and almost everywhere they're not allowed," Mike said.
This is the only part of the whole deal that bugs me. They're teaching her that she's too special to follow rules. That her own wants supercede the rights of everyone else. Not good parenting IMHO.
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When she was interviewed she was ADAMENT that she was the duck's "Mommy". I don't have kids, but is that normal for that age group?
