Doves and an unexpected conversation.

Going through old photos I came across this:



All the kids helped a little with cleaning the doves after one of M's hunts this year, and C was particularly fascinated by their pretty wings at the time.

Today when he saw the photo he looked at me with big sad eyes and asked, "Why does Daddy kill birds?." I scooped him up into my lap and we had something very close to the following conversation:

C - Why does Daddy kill birds?

Me - Because he thinks they're tasty.

C - I don't think they're tasty, they are good to me (meaning nice and pretty and something he values).

Me - You don't have to kill birds if you don't want to.

C - I want to, maybe on a hunt. Just not all of them.

Me - Daddy doesn't kill all the birds, just some of them.

C - I will kill two or three or maybe five, as many as Daddy says I can.

Then we talked about how it's easier for him to hold up four fingers than three fingers and he hopped off my lap and cheerfully left the room.

I think that went well.