I'm raising a clutch of chicks!

It turns out that a group of chickens is called a flock, brood (of hens), clutch (of chicks), or peep (of chicks). Yes, I looked it up because I couldn't decide what to call my little group of chicks (baby birds, not females). Apparently the fact that they are birds was completely beyond my comprehension this morning. I kept thinking of the word "brood," but that made me think of old ladies, which really didn't work for a group of very young children, of which 80% are boys.
Some of my children are, um, not-so-bold. Savannah is the most timid of the group when it comes to any activity that could potentially harm her. This past week she has finally decided to really try to ride a bike without training wheels. Yes, I say "finally" because she is eight years old (and now that she's actually trying it I think she needs a bigger bike). Sid has had a few attempts, but he is also a bit timid about the whole idea. He is six.

I don't know if I instilled this fear in my children, but when I see other kids out riding their two-wheel bikes who look like they are three years old, I start to wonder. I am tempted to stick Austin on a two-wheeler and see what happens (since he and William are literally battling it out to be the top-ranked bold and adventurous child) just to prove that I am not the one that turned my little clutch into a bunch of chickens. I'd like to think that their hesitancy is a result of maturity and the fact that they understand the danger that is involved in "risky" activities. Maybe I am turning them all into a bunch of chickens without realizing it since I want them to stay small and don't really care much for the idea of them growing up.

As a result, I decided I liked the word "clutch" to describe my little "chicks" because as much as I would like them to be bold in trying new things, I would also love to keep them in my clutches forever.