Saying NO

There are lots of things that make being a parent hard. 

 One that we seem to face over and over again at our house is saying NO to pets and breaking their little hearts. 

Our kids are very much pet lovers.  But unfortunately their parents are not.  Not that we don't like animals, but we don't love the physical or financial responsibilities that go along with pet ownership.  We would love more than anything to make our girls dreams come true if it were a perfect world.  But we don't have it in us to add all that is required to have a dog or cat, which are the pets of choice.

 

We have gotten pretty good friends with a couple in the ward that has 3 teen aged boys.  A really great family.  King J and I both work closely with them in our callings at church.  They have helped us out the last few months watching the girls for us so we can attend the temple. 

 

This family is a pet family.  So much that they raise and breed German shepherds.  We thought it would be a match made in heaven.  The girls would LOVE going to their home, and we wouldn't have to pay a babysitter. :)  Last night King J and I went to the temple so the girls were pretty darn excited because one of the dogs had a litter this week, 11 puppies.  When I got there to pick them up they were sitting in the basement in the puppy cage. (it was huge, an indoor dog run)  Each girl had a puppy in her lap and they were in love.  I was in trouble.

 

Princess E informs me that she has bonded with her little girl and that Sister T said she would sell her to us at half price and make payments because she knows me!  Oy.  Sister T, who I'm good friends with, comes down and tells me the same thing.  That both girls have been so good with the puppies and that the mama is super protective of them, as German shepherds are to their people and puppies, but let the girls get right in there without as much as a bark.  That the puppies generally go back to being with their brothers and sisters, but that night preferred to sit in the girls laps. 

Of course they did.  I wish it was a perfect world.

 

They both plead their case.  A great deal, half price, at $350 each.  They would be our back up if we needed to go out of town.  They are loyal to their owners and very protective of their people.

 

I couldn't say yes for so many reasons.  In front of me, this dear sister, who I adore, turns to princess E and says,"It's not all lost.  When I was a little girl I really really wanted a little brother.  My mom said no, that she was done having kids.  But I prayed really really hard and a few years later she had my little brother.  So you need to pray that your mom's heart will be softened and maybe next year when we have more puppies your mom will say yes."

 

Ok, great advise, BUT isn't it kinda parent code of conduct/respect that you support the parents decisions for their kids?  I was pretty upset.  Both because of how it happened, and because I knew I was crushing their little hearts because they were SO in love with these puppies that they had already named and planned how it was all going to work.  The crocodile tears came on the way home and didn't stop.  It was even said on the ride home that something in them died.  That they had a dream that they would get a pet, a dog, when they were kids and not when they were grown up and on their own.

 

There have been lots of tears today, and prayers offered that we would change our minds.

 

Oy, its so hard being a parent and not letting them have something that they want SO badly.