March 10, 2008 Kids Are Just Too Funny

March 10, 2008

Kids Are Just Too Funny


Last week the little girl down the street came over to "help" me because she was bored at home. She's 9. While she was chatting to me, she mentioned that her Grandma doesn't want her to become a dog groomer, but she likes working with dogs. I told her, “Well you could always become a veterinarian.”
“I can’t!” she replied with some shock in her voice.
“Why not?” I asked her.
"Because I eat meat” she replied sheepishly.
After I stopped laughing, I said, veterinarian, not vegetarian!
Did I mention she's blond?
You know, it makes a mother proud to hear her children say they are going to grow up to be just like her. My boys have always been exposed to animals of all sorts, and they have always been very gentle and compassionate kids when it comes to critters. My youngest tells me he’s going to grow up to be a dog groomer, and he’s also going to work at McDonalds, and be a firefighter like his dad and build cars too. Clearly, this is going to be one very busy man when he grows up.
My oldest son has actually had a crash course in grooming one day when I realized I had accidentally overbooked myself and I needed someone to help me bathe dogs FAST! Much to my surprise, he did a very good job! He liked it so much, he is ready to do it again for me. I promised him that if there was time this summer, I’d take him up on it. He does have that entrepreneurial spirit I admire. My youngest son has that spirit too. So much so that on heavy trash day when people were “shopping” in our trash, he was busy running them down and saying “Hey! You have to pay for that!”
I suppose selling trash is a good way to create income when you are 7.
He’s such a salesman when he’s in my boutique and clients are checking out, he’s busy pulling stuff off the shelves and informing them that their dog needs this or that, and he’s always ready to hand them a business card of mine too.
I had a client bring along her adorable little boy who was 6 when she came to have her kitty groomed. The little boy also had brought along his toy stuffed dog to play with while he waited. He talked to the kitty, and petted him and told him you’ll be alright, sympathized with his kitty when he meowed. He was sure to mention that he "helped" me groom his kitty and was expecting something for his hard work. I gave him some kitty toys for his kitty and him to play with and I put a bow on his toy doggie before he left and that made his day.
A few years ago, another mother had brought her dog in to be groomed and her child came with her and fell in love with my collie Brittany. Brittany was the ultimate kid dog. She loved kids! She would take any form of torture from children because she felt it was her job to watch over them. She truly was "Lassie". It was so cute because that little boy lay down on the floor and put his head on Brittany, his pillow. I swear she had a smile on her face. I wished I had my camera handy for that. She was in heaven!
When my youngest was an infant, I put a blanket on the floor and the baby on it and Brittany stood over him, protecting him from anyone who came near. There she stood proudly over my baby, in all her beautiful Collie glory, with long flowing hair. She was his protector and guardian and there she stood, with her head held high when the baby reached up and grabbed a handful of her hair on her belly and pulled. I could see her wince, but she continued to stand there and take it, because that was her job. She wouldn't dream of biting. Obviously, I couldn’t allow her to be hurt, so she got a haircut for her own protection.
Kids and dogs go together like peanut butter & jelly. It’s hard to imagine one without the other. There is nothing cuter than to hear a toddler say his dog’s name, “Pwincess”, “Mowwy”, or “Wex”. I love to see the look in their eyes when their dog licks their face. I’m sure that dogs love kids because they are such great sources of food too. Hey, someone’s got to clean the floor, and those hands! I fondly remember when my kids were toddlers and would carry around dry cereal, one for me, one for the dog. Let’s not forget ice cream cones, most kids eagerly share their cones with the family dog. While that vision grosses me out, kids are so pure and loving that they don’t seem to mind a little dog slobber, provided that “Wex” doesn’t eat it all.
So next time you’re in need of some spirit lifting, ask a child about his dog and see where the conversation takes you. I guarantee it will put a smile on your face.