Bonding in Ponding

November 16, 2020

The Croaklily frog family find it easy to be green. But lately, kids Hip and Hop have noticed the lush wool of the Currlycuddle sheep or the fine feathers of the Quickquack ducks and they feel different.

“Why is my skin smooth?” Hop asked his mom Libby one morning preparing for school.

“Yes, where is our fur? Or our feathers? Will it grow in when we get older?” Hip said gazing in the mirror at her green reflection.

Parents Libby and Rob looked at each other and back at Hip and Hop. They understood that Hip and Hop were curious about their appearance.

“Fur and feathers are beautiful but you too are lovely and unique. Your smooth skin allows letting water in and out! And it’s a bit like a super hero suit which lets us live on both land and water,” Rob explained.

Hip and Hop’s eye grew wide; they had not realized this. Libby decided to coordinate a special friend play-date with the Tidyshine Turtle family at the local pond to demonstrate.

Later in the week, on a bright and warm day, the two families the Croaklily frogs and the Tidyshine turtles headed out to the local pond for a dip. Hip and Hop loved to swim and as luck would have it so did the Tidyshine turtle kids Buster and Bubbles. They raced back and forth across the pond and when the got too tired, they came on the shore to sit in the sunshine. It was a perfect day and the lily pads were lush providing both shade and a place to sit.

When the sun started to get low in the sky, the families packed up their beach bags and started to turn back toward their homes. The Croaklily children hopped slower than usual from a day full of racing. Luckily, the Tidyshine turtles were never in much of a rush.

Hip and Hop had not said too much that day but their happy expressions said a lot.

The next morning, as parents Libby and Rob prepared some breakfast, kids Hip and Hop ran down the steps. They noticed that Hop smiled at his reflection in the mirror before grabbing his school bag. Hip had placed a pink bow around her head to set of the green shade.

“How are you both feeling this morning?” Rob asked.

“Fantastic!” Hop said. And Hip nodded in agreement before chiming in.

“You know, I thought about it and I am so happy to be a frog. I love my green smooth skin – it makes me a fast swimmer and I love that.”

Tune in next week to meet the Oliphant Family!