Adorable 3-Year-Old Cares for Her Ducklings Like Their Mother—Her Unconditional Love is Heartwarming
Three-year-old Ariadne Belanger’s love for ducklings is unparalleled. Despite her young age, this toddling child is incredibly affectionate towards the ducklings, even considering herself their duck mom.
Her 42-year-old mother, Ksenia Belanger, shared with the Epoch Times, “From a young age, Ariadne has been very gentle with the ducklings, bringing them inside to play, and even sneaking them onto her bed for nap time!”
Ariadne’s favorite activity is giving the ducklings baths in a small bathtub or sink, then drying them off with a towel while humming sweet tunes in her own baby language.
Mrs. Belanger, who is originally from Russia, moved to North Carolina about twenty years ago, where she met her husband Errol Belanger, who was serving in the military. Together, they have three children: 11-year-old Bruce, 9-year-old Andreas, and 3-year-old Ariadne.
When Bruce was born, Mrs. Belanger wanted to document every precious moment and milestone of his growth, prompting her to learn photography. With the birth of Ariadne, their backyard farm became home to rabbits and chicks. Bruce and Andreas enjoyed the farm’s joys, watching chicks hatch and caring for them. As Ariadne grew, it became clear that she shared the same love for animals.
Mrs. Belanger said, “My daughter has always loved every little animal in our backyard, but ducklings are her favorite. Watching her play with them and the endless joy it brings her inspired me to create a series of duckling-themed artwork.”
Raising Ariadne sparked nostalgia in this dedicated mother, reminding her of raising her sons.
The mother of three said, “When Ariadne interacts with the ducklings, I try to capture her raw emotions and wonder.”
Mrs. Belanger was captivated by how interested and affectionate the ducklings were towards her daughter. She shared, “One time, Ariadne was playing with the ducklings on the bed, instructing them not to jump or come too close. They seemed to listen to her, knowing she cared deeply for them, viewing Ariadne as their mom.”
Mrs. Belanger used a Sony Alpha 7R IV camera paired with a white umbrella Profoto B10 flash.
She shared her photography technique, “I placed the flash near natural light sources like windows to enhance sunlight and complement when needed.”
As she strives to capture precious moments with her daughter, Mrs. Belanger has learned from Dutch masters about the use of light and shadow.
During typical photo shoots, Ariadne helps with arranging small details while her mother prepares the equipment.
“I always let Ariadne help to unleash her creativity,” Mrs. Belanger said.
At times, she guides her daughter to move towards the window for better lighting or captures her natural behavior.
Formerly a French teacher with a degree in linguistics, Mrs. Belanger has over 900,000 followers who enjoy watching videos of her daughter’s tender care for the ducklings.
One internet user wrote, “She will have such beautiful memories to look back on as she grows up, I’m truly thrilled.”
Another commenter said, “Seeing her love, her joy, and her gentleness is so moving.”
Regarding the warm response to her photos, Mrs. Belanger expressed, “I feel my audience enjoys seeing these adorable moments, reminding us of our own childhood, the unconditional love we had for animal babies. There’s nothing more wonderful than that.”
Mrs. Belanger feels fortunate to witness these precious moments and holds some scenes close to her heart. She revealed, “One of my favorite moments is when my daughter puts a little flower hat on a duckling’s head and gives it a kiss.”
Watch the video:
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Translated and Adapted from the original article published on the Epoch Times website.