PETS

The kids want a pet, I think pretty much any pet would do for them, they just really, really want one. Mr. Shelton wants a pet too, a dog, a bull dog to be specific. Me? I don't want a pet of any kind. I already have four kids and one grown up who acts like a kid (Mr. Shelton) to take care of.

We tend to have the Can-we-pleeeeeeeease-get-a-pet conversation around the Shelton house on a monthly basis. Once from the kids, and once from Mr. Shelton.

With Mr. Shelton it usually goes something like this: "Hon, I think it would be so nice to have a dog. The kids would just love it! It would be so fun to have a bull dog, they are so lazy and cute, they just lay around, sleep and hang out. What do you think?"

"What do I think? Who will take care of the dog? Clean up it's poop? Not me. Take it for walks? Not me. Give it baths? Not me? What happens with if the dog get's sick, or hurt and needs to be taken to the vet? You get upset with the kids Dr. bills, and they are actual human beings, could you imagine how upset you would be with a bill from the Vet after, say, the dog needed a surgery of somekind?"

The conversation usually ends here. At least for the next month, until it is brought up yet again.

With the kids, the conversation varies. But this morning it went something like this:

Ava: "Hey Mom, do you know what my favorite animal is?"

Mom: "No, what is it?"

Ava: "A guinea pig, can we pleeeeease get a Guinea Pig?"

Mom: "No honey, they are rodents and they stink."

Ava: "Awwwww."

Then the boys piped in and proceeded to tell me what their favorite animals were, and what they wanted as a pet. A fish, a mouse, a frog, a snail, a pig (yes, Anthony requested a pig), a monkey (again, Anthony), a bird..... Every time I said "no" to their choice of animal they came up with a different one. Little did they know that I would say "no"to every request.

So they kept on coming with suggestions, ideas, and thoughts on what type of pet would fit perfectly into our family. Then they finally landed on Daddy's animal of choice. A dog.

Ava: "A dog Mom, let's get a dog. Daddy reaaaaalllly want's a dog too! A bull dog, let's get a bull dog!!"

Mom: "Who will take care of the Dog?"

Ava: "We will Mom! Ava then turned to the boy's and said, "Boy's we have to be really, really, good and then Mom and Dad will buy us a Dog, and we will have to take care of it. Alright?"

Mom: "Ava, I never said that. Who will take the Dog for walks? Feed the dog? Give the Dog baths?"

Ava: "We will Mom, we promise!! Right boy's?" [They nodded in agreement]

Mom: "Who will clean up the dog's poop when he goes in the yard?"

Silence..... More silence.... Still nothing....

Ava: "Dad will!" [Yah, right.]

I simply laughed, and changed the subject. The pet debate was over for them as well, until next month that is.

I know, I know for all you pet lovers out there, I sound like a big mean Mom on this subject, but I just can't see this family taking responsibility for a pet. I would be stuck doing it all, and I just don't have the time. At least for now.

I wonder how many more months I am going to be able to keep up with all the "No's?" How many months I am going to be able to go before caving and saying the much sought after response "yes."

Maybe this is their master plan, to ask and ask and ask and ask.... until I finally do cave in. We'll see if that ever happens.