Being a parent is the single most influential job you will ever have. That is the truest statement I have made today. Nothing offends me greater than someone comparing having a dog or cat to having a child, here's why... Having a pet takes work and responsibility, don't get me wrong, but no one in their right mind is going to change their lives around for a pet. Having a child literally changes your life. Being responsible for another human life is the ultimate in any and all responsibilities, I mean this person depends on you to do everything for them; feed them, change them, put them to sleep, love them. Having a pet can at times be difficult, but you can lock a pet in another room when they are aggravating you, can't do that with a child. Most of us are of sane enough mind to know that there is an epic difference in caring for a child versus a pet, however let me give you the best explanation. A pet typically will love you unconditionally as his provider, whereas your job as a provider for your children is to love them unconditionally. Being a parent to a child changes not only your life but your mindset, sanity kind of goes out of the window. You begin to worry about things that don't even make sense. I personally have had a re-occurring daytime nightmare about something irrational, like the end of the world, and I am too far from my kids to get to them in time to save them...see what I mean. A parent can lose their shit entirely based on a single repetitive word or even sound. My youngest son says "thank you" all the time, he has no idea what it means when he says it. Either he wants something or he is trying to get my attention or he wants picked up or...well the list goes on and on. I can actually feel myself getting ready to snap when I hear him in the back seat repeating "thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you". My neck tightens in the back, my head begins aching and I desperately wish that in that moment I was completely deaf. Instead, I turn around, smile and say "what buddy". That's a parent for you, being able to have an insurmountable amount of pressure agitating you and being able to smile and reason your way through it. So the biggest difference between having a pet and being a parent is...please dear god if you value anything you own or that is attached to your persons never make the comparison again... |
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