Borrowing a Pet
So, my poor son has been asking for a dog for ages now, and we just don't want to get one yet. Why? Well, with four kids underfoot, no extra time in our lives, and no extra money, we really don't feel that this is the time to get a pet. We love dogs - and would love to bring one into their lives. But, we have to wait until they are a bit older and can help us out. I just can't think about walking the dog by myself, dragging along four kids and trying to look after everyone. I also can't imagine training a puppy (which is what we would want to get) and losing any more sleep than I already do. It's just not going to happen right now.
So, what is poor Timmy to do? Well, we heard over the weekend that one of our neighbours was babysitting a beautiful little puppy. And this was the perfect activity for Timmy. We sent him over there early on Saturday morning and Timmy was in heaven for the entire day. He got to walk the dog, pet the dog, play with the dog and feed the dog. He actually mentioned a few times during the day that it was a lot of work. Yes, he still asked for a dog when he got home - and I quickly pointed out that Prince would be available to play with again tomorrow. And then tomorrow came and Timmy played with him again. This time, he played with less interest and less zeal. The magic was already wearing off. I was actually surprised that my plan worked, but Timmy got bored of Prince quite quickly and came home satisfied. For now, at least, the dog issue has been put to bed. I'm sure it will come up again soon - but Timmy got his fix for the time being, and I will, hopefully, get some quiet for awhile!
