Ugly Dog

When my 10-year-old daughter started to make her plea for a dog, I knew I was in for a stubborn brawl.   Like an attorney arguing her case, she pitched her arguments:  she’d be safer at home after school; she’d learn responsibility; she’d get exercise walking it.

After wearing down my resistance with her compelling courtroom convictions, I agreed; within certain parameters.

I had grown up with german shepherds; big, beautiful beasts with long snouts, long fur, and long tails. Their reputation aligned well with the “safety” argument, but their long fur meant lots of shedding, which I didn’t want to deal with. They’re also bigger than I wanted, so they got crossed off the list.

After doing some research, I landed on a dog I wasn’t familiar with: the boxer.

Chick Distractions

A friend’s grandson, tending sick baby chickens, was late for football practice. When he arrived, he apologized to the coach, saying he had chick problems.

“I don’t care about your girl problems,” the coach barked. “Just get here on time!”

 

Photo source: Sandu Stefan on Pixabay

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What’s the Fee to Pet Your Dog?

If you have kids it’s likely, at some point along the way, they’ll deliver a wisdom-pearl that will bring you up short.  It’ll be delivered with a knowing confidence that silences the moment.

My daughter, at age 8, brought fresh perspective to a dry topic: taxes and park entrance fees. I know, exactly! Something every parent and 8-year-old talk about. But I work in the financial sector, so I had actually been trying to explain to her the idea of taxes and how they’re used. One of those uses, I explained, was to ensure we have parks for public use.

It was only when we were going to a local regional park that I realized she had actually been paying attention.  The park had a day-use fee, which I paid. As we parked, she looked at me and asked why I had to pay to enter the park when our tax dollars pay for it.

I fumbled my answer, at which point she argued the arrangement was “like buying a dog and then having to pay every time you want to pet it.”

Out of the mouths of babes.

 

Photo source: NatWhitePhotography on Pixabay

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