The Emotional Side of Farm Life
Raise your hand if you’ve ever seen a kid bawl because their favorite pig was sold. Yep, that’s a scene we know all too well, especially County Fair week.
It’s not just about the work, it’s about the feelings.
Raising animals means teaching kids about life in a way you won’t find in any classroom. Joy, responsibility, excitement, and yes, sometimes tears. Lots of tears.
Farm life isn’t just hard hats and heavy boots. It’s hugs and heartaches, all rolled into one.
And here’s the thing: I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Because teaching my kids to care deeply? That’s the kind of lesson that will stick with them.
Tears, Growth, and Big Feelings
Kids learn empathy the minute they touched their first dairy calf or named their first piglet “Wilbur” They get attached, as do we, and that’s exactly the point.
Attachment means caring. Caring means understanding that sometimes things don’t stay the same.
When it’s time to say goodbye, the tears come. Sometimes a river of them.
I’ve seen tough kids, the kind who can wrestle a stubborn cow, sob over a piglet leaving like it was their best friend. And that’s okay.
It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to feel broken-hearted. It means they’re learning to be humans, not just farm kids.
I always remind my kids that feelings aren’t a sign of weakness. They’re proof you’re alive and paying attention.
Plus, it’s a good excuse to sneak some extra chocolate ice cream. Just saying.
These moments also teach resilience. Feeling the loss, talking it out, and then moving forward. Not forgetting, but growing stronger.
And this emotional intelligence? It doesn’t just stay on the farm. It spills into friendships, school, and hopefully someday, their own families.
Kids who feel deeply tend to be the kind of people the world desperately needs: kind, patient, and real.
Raising Big Hearts Alongside Big Animals
Parenting on the farm means holding space for all the messiness: the dirt, the tears, and the triumphs.
A note to new parents: you’re not just raising animals. You’re raising humans who know how to love, lose, and keep going.
If you’re tired, overwhelmed, or wondering if the emotions ever get easier, here’s my big sister advice: They don’t always get easier. But they get better.
The tears are part of the story. And one day, those same kids might thank you for letting them cry it out instead of pushing it aside.
So keep handing them the bucket and the tissues. You’re teaching them to have big hearts and that’s something worth all the tears in the world.