4-h family suport groups out there???? ugh

[fowler_chick]

ok my daughter has been in 4-h for 4 years....county fair has come and gone..... thank god!!....i got a horse for my to show after other kids from the horse club wre mean to her about her pony only to find out that her new horse can not be shown!!!....Why????? because the horse is ridding on a hackamore in stead of a bit??? eehh?? i told her that this was the first time i've ever herd of that rule....working on changing that rule state wide......we follow the fair book rules to a T, do the judges??? i don't think so.......in the last 4 years no one has taken the time to explain the book's.it so hard to see a child work so hard on there projects through the year only to see them lose to favertizem. even though my daughter is getting ready to head to state fair.. i am finding 4-h being of less then what it use to hold up too.

 

[saddina]

Here it's rather clannish, and I'm just not interested in that. They had comments about my clothes, convertable, and my hair (it was done, and I don't mean in a scrunchie). At the end of the meeting one of the other moms said I looked familiar, soon as I said my family was from the area, and gave my maiden name, they were instantly welcoming. Sorry, but that kind of two-facedness just doesn't fly with me.

 

[ruthie]

I understand and I am sorry. Many years ago we moved from Dallas TX to small town Nebraska. The kids wanted to do 4-H got a few rabbits, a pony and a puppy. This was all new to us and we thought that by the kids being in 4H that the older kids would help our newbies and that by making friends with some of the parents we would learn also. Was I in for a shock, it was all about winning. I understand winning is the goal but I wanted them to learn responsibility while having fun etc. One family put an airconditioner in the barn where they kept their daughters steer so it would have a thicker coat come fair time,and dad did all the work for her.The rules would change depending on who it was. It was a horrible year but we didn't give up. The next year we found a 4H club in the next town where the leaders had a different mind set and it was great. So my advice is if you are not happy with things the way they are look for another club to join. After all you want your children to learn and have fun. I agree in some clubs it is who you know or who you are related that counts, not how hard you work it is so sad. Good luck to your daughter at the state fair.

 

[fowler_chick]

that's it..... sort of figured that one out...it's who your parents are!!! OH IF YOUR NOT A SMITH!! then just be prepaird for a green partisapation ribbon....i went from working in the big city, boarding my horse to....living on a farm, being a stay at home mom, trading in the saab convertable to a nissan titan, i've even givin my summer trip to maine for the past 4 years to deal with 4-h.....we have also moved our daughter out of 2 diffrent clubs, and yes the 3rd one is a charm!!! and runned by my banker.....lol...but if your not a long time 4-h-er then your name is mud......i guess i'm in this for the long hual...still have 2 more kids to go through this