3 Reasons my kids aren't allowed in the pig pen.

Reason #1: The electric fence.



The pigs were getting a little rowdy with the hog panels and they even escaped a few times so my husband decided it was time to put up the electric fence. The pigs thought this was great fun and caused all kinds of havoc tearing down whatever he put up. Adding a few kids into the mix to chase them away from the completed work was even more fun. As soon as one pig distracted the boys on one side of the pen, the others would run to the other side and grab the wire. Until my husband turned it on. They didn't think that little game was so much fun any more. They were soon huddled in the middle of the pig pen in hopes that they would be safe there.

This is the most minor of reasons, mostly because once you touch an electric fence you usually make sure not to make that mistake again. But since I do have some little ones, they aren't allowed to go near it. I hear that farm boys like to pee on the electric fence, but so far my boys are not aware of that activity. I'd like to keep it that way.


Reason #2: See all that brown stuff in there? It's not all dirt.



I don't have a poop phobia, really. I just don't think it is all that smart to take a plastic pvc pipe and scoop up dusty pig pen "dirt" and blow it on your brothers. Once the boys were reminded what they were scooping up and blowing on each other, they didn't think it was all that smart either.

Reason #3: Pigs will eat you if you stand still long enough.



Or so I hear. I have heard and read stories about people that have been eaten by pigs (not told by the victims, of course) so I am not taking any chances. The combined weight of the 4 pigs is probably close to 500 pounds so it would be very easy for them to take out a 50-60 pound youngster. Shoot, they almost took me out a week or two ago and I am still limping from being charged at from the side right into my bad knee that was finally starting to feel better. I am now trying to be much more careful when going in the pen to feed them. Hitting them with the feed bucket isn't working so well any more.

So I am the No Fun Mom that won't let her kids play in the pig pen. I guess they will have to go find something else fun to do. Some other things that No Fun Mom has prohibited are: Playing in the horse poop compost pile (only partially composted), playing in the other compost pile (the one with the chicken guts in it), and playing in the tire stacks (had to rescue a kid that got down inside and couldn't get out). Oh yes, and car roof jumping is no longer allowed either. Yep, I am No Fun Mom.

Whatever.