I am contemplating getting a dog, a puppy actually. I am sure that my motivation is partly influenced by the fact that my kids are all in high school and while they still need me, they definitely need me in different ways now that they are getting older. As a somewhat methodical person when it comes to making major decisions (I am spontaneous enough on the small, day-to-day things, but I like to research and mull things over when it comes to big purchases and decisions—especially as I get older), I have started the “research” and have been reading a book I bought about how to prepare for, select, train, etc. a young puppy. It has been bringing back all sorts of memories of raising my children—especially the training and house-proofing part!
I realize that I still do a bit of automatic childproofing. I still put things “up high” on top of the refrigerator as if my kids (one of whom is taller than I) can’t reach them. It has also only been in the last month that I let the bathroom cleaner rest under the bathroom sink—all these years I have had all the cleaners sequestered on a high top shelf in the bathroom. Granted, my youngest child is now 15 and it has been years since I needed to worry about anyone drinking the Windex—but I’m a little slow to adjust. And, since I’m coming clean, I do still have a drawer in my kitchen that is full of outlet plugs and drawer locks, since I don’t know when I might need them again!
So, now as I contemplate “the puppy” I see that I may need to dig out those baby gates and that all the automatic child-proofing that I’ve been doing all these years, or my reluctance to let go and grow up along with my kids, might just come in handy…
Also: Meditation and Family Life
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