Kids and Dogs

Tonight we will be hosting a giant sleepover. My niece and nephews will be Y's guests and they are all so excited! It's his first big event since we moved and I think he's excited to show off his new digs. I'm most excited about being smothered with the greatest kids on earth. (Yegs included)

My perfect brother has created three perfect kids. It's not so fair that he got all the "fertile" genes but, because he makes such great kids, I don't complain very often. We kind of joke that he got really good "swimmers" and that I'm sort of lacking in the "swimming pool" department. THREE! Sheesh! But we're all hoping it's my turn next and he's saying he has plenty. Maybe that will help my odds.

...And another subject.

My partner picked up Y the other day to bring him home. When she got to his other house, he was completely distraught. Now believe, he has drama running through his bones 24/7 but this was different. He was hysterical and it didn't end by the time he got home to me. His other mom has decided they can't keep the dog they gave him for Christmas. She's a Golden Retriever and she's not trained at all. She jumps on the kids, tears up the sprinklers and has to be tied up all the time - even in the house. Something is just wrong with that.

Now, I am one who thinks that dogs are only as "trained" as their trainers are. If you have a crazy dog, you haven't done your job in teaching it what's right and wrong. Y's other mom stays at home with the kids and they have another dog and some cats too. I get that she has a lot on her plate but it just seems so awful to make a decision, like adding a dog, and then taking it away. She's a puppy - 7 months. & she's big. Y has a three year old brother, O, who is knocked down all the time. But seriously, what kind of lesson is it to give up on a member of your family? Y is devastated. But his solution? We'll bring her to OUR house! We'll take in the ill trained dog! We - who work full time - can try to re-train a 7 mo old Golden! I think not.

We have talked in lengths about getting a dog. We've always had at least one. But since both left us in the last couple of years, we've needed some grieving time. Now that we're moved and we can start anew, we're ready for another. Is it wrong that we don't want this dog? Y is too young to do any discipline with a dog. He's only home 3-4 days a week. And we decided that we would get a beauty parlor dog this time. I'm feeling selfish. Any thoughts that aren't too harsh?

Love, the wicked step-mother.