That was a question that completely took me by surprise yesterday... let me elaborate.
Yesterday I had had enough of the puppy. Puppies are very cute - they have lovely faces and gorgeous eyes. They like to be cuddled and sit on your lap licking your fingers - they are beautiful.
They also poo and wee on everything. A lot! And ours is no exception...
Yesterday, I needed to get some work done. I needed to sit and write and also to revise for my upcoming exam - my second years end of years exams in Psychology. I haven't taken an exam in 20years... I'm very scared!
But, my tutor reassured me, set out a revision timetable and stick to it. A little bit a day is better than cramming. Add into the mix a looming deadline for the book and an accompanying proposal and you can see why I saw a full day of being able to work at home as a blessing.
The puppy saw it differently. She saw it as a full day of having me at home - someone to play with.
So I took her out for not one but two long walks - to tire her out. They didn't.
I kept an eye on her all day, making sure she didn't chew anything dangerous and putting her outside at regular intervals to do her 'business'.
Every time of course I put her outside, she wouldn't go - opting to do her business on the floor as soon as I brought her in. I soon stank of disinfectant.
By the time the boys came home from school she had wee'd and poo'd on everything and I had managed to get very little work done. The boys promised they would watch her whilst they watched some TV.
They didn't.
I heard, "Daddy, the puppy's poo'd on the rug."
I came downstairs in a rage. "I've had enough," I bellowed, "You are going back!" I pointed at the now contrite puppy.
"Who's going back?" KC asked.
"The puppy," I said , still not comprehending what he meant.
"Oh, I thought you were sending me or TJ away," he said quietly, "That's what grown ups do when they get bored of children, they send them back into care."
I was astounded. Where had this come from?
KC didn't seem upset or anything, he said it as if this was just a normal thing to expect.
"What do you mean?" I asked, "no-one is sneding anyone away, I'm just cross with the puppy, that's all."
"If no-on sent their children into care then there wouldn't be anyone for you to adopt," KC went on, "I'm just saying..." (thats his phrase of the week).
I looked at TJ who was staring at me from over the arm of the sofa.
I sighed. "No-one is sending anyone away, sometimes I get mad at the puppy but no matter how mad I get I would never send you away. Do you understand?"
"But would you send the puppy away?" TJ asked.
"Of course not, " I replied, "I just need to housetrain her thats all."
"Did you have to housetrain me?" TJ said.
"No, " I replied, 'Luckily you did that bit yourself." I didn't mention the mess on the toilet floor i cleaned up this morning...
I made a note to watch what I say. It seems strange that after over three years with us they still don't fully believe that this is their 'forever' home - whatever forever means to an 8 year old? But we just have to keep reassuring them and, hopefully, one day it will stick...
Oh well, it looks as though the puppy is staying after all...
Yesterday I had had enough of the puppy. Puppies are very cute - they have lovely faces and gorgeous eyes. They like to be cuddled and sit on your lap licking your fingers - they are beautiful.
They also poo and wee on everything. A lot! And ours is no exception...
Yesterday, I needed to get some work done. I needed to sit and write and also to revise for my upcoming exam - my second years end of years exams in Psychology. I haven't taken an exam in 20years... I'm very scared!
But, my tutor reassured me, set out a revision timetable and stick to it. A little bit a day is better than cramming. Add into the mix a looming deadline for the book and an accompanying proposal and you can see why I saw a full day of being able to work at home as a blessing.
The puppy saw it differently. She saw it as a full day of having me at home - someone to play with.
So I took her out for not one but two long walks - to tire her out. They didn't.
I kept an eye on her all day, making sure she didn't chew anything dangerous and putting her outside at regular intervals to do her 'business'.
Every time of course I put her outside, she wouldn't go - opting to do her business on the floor as soon as I brought her in. I soon stank of disinfectant.
By the time the boys came home from school she had wee'd and poo'd on everything and I had managed to get very little work done. The boys promised they would watch her whilst they watched some TV.
They didn't.
I heard, "Daddy, the puppy's poo'd on the rug."
I came downstairs in a rage. "I've had enough," I bellowed, "You are going back!" I pointed at the now contrite puppy.
"Who's going back?" KC asked.
"The puppy," I said , still not comprehending what he meant.
"Oh, I thought you were sending me or TJ away," he said quietly, "That's what grown ups do when they get bored of children, they send them back into care."
I was astounded. Where had this come from?
KC didn't seem upset or anything, he said it as if this was just a normal thing to expect.
"What do you mean?" I asked, "no-one is sneding anyone away, I'm just cross with the puppy, that's all."
"If no-on sent their children into care then there wouldn't be anyone for you to adopt," KC went on, "I'm just saying..." (thats his phrase of the week).
I looked at TJ who was staring at me from over the arm of the sofa.
I sighed. "No-one is sending anyone away, sometimes I get mad at the puppy but no matter how mad I get I would never send you away. Do you understand?"
"But would you send the puppy away?" TJ asked.
"Of course not, " I replied, "I just need to housetrain her thats all."
"Did you have to housetrain me?" TJ said.
"No, " I replied, 'Luckily you did that bit yourself." I didn't mention the mess on the toilet floor i cleaned up this morning...
I made a note to watch what I say. It seems strange that after over three years with us they still don't fully believe that this is their 'forever' home - whatever forever means to an 8 year old? But we just have to keep reassuring them and, hopefully, one day it will stick...
Oh well, it looks as though the puppy is staying after all...
No comments:
Post a Comment