When my daughter was a baby, I wouldn’t let my Chihuahua near her for fear he’d bite her. Well, things have changed… Now I’m afraid to see my daughter go near my dog—poor thing!!! Ever since she turned 4, she’s become a real pest to the entire animal kingdom! Do you remember Elmira in the Looney Tunes? Otherwise, a Google search is in order. She’s just the same! Whenever she gets the chance, she gives him a discreet little kick or a subtle tug on his tail. When she decides to hug him, she gives him a squeeze that could leave him quadriplegic. She doesn’t understand that a dog is fragile—especially him, weighing in at a mere 4 lbs! No matter how much I tell her—in French, in English—explain it to her, draw diagrams, or act it out, there’s really nothing I can do. I’m thinking of learning sign language, just in case it works.
Being the terrible mother that I am, I even tried some straight-up manipulation! I told her that we’d have to find a new home for the dog if she kept mistreating him and hurting him like that. The result: 29 seconds of sadness and a scolding on the 30th second.e Second! To keep going with the "bad mom" theme, I even secretly hoped he’d nibble her hand just a tiny bit—not to hurt her, but just to surprise her a little! I gave up: my daughter really is the Hitler of the animal world!
The wildlife around us pays the price, too. Frogs, toads, salamanders, caterpillars, spiders, tadpoles… Nothing is spared! I think I have eight bug jars outside, commonly known as “exploration labs.” I know full well that all of this is part of a child’s normal development and learning process, but I feel like I’m an accomplice to their torture.
And you know what the worst part of all this is? She wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up…