 |  |
 Parenting 101 - Parenting Advice
I’m Counting to 10 … Hope and Humor for Frazzled ParentsBy Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner  Surprise PackagesTwo weeks ago, Skye came to us and said in the most angelic voice: “The absolute only thing I want for Christmas is a little baby kitten.” Our family has Ruby, a big golden retriever, and Clarence, a medium-sized shaggy mutt. Both of our dogs were strays who showed up on our doorstep. So Malcolm cleverly told Skye, “All of our pets find us. If a kitten comes to us looking for a home this Christmas, then, yes, you can have a kitty.” Now I ask you, what are the odds of that happening? The very next day, I’m walking Skye to preschool and who should come bounding onto the sidewalk but a big mamma cat and two little kittens. Seconds later, a car pulls up beside us and the driver says, “Those cats just appeared on my doorstep last night. Do you know of anyone who would like a kitten?” Skye turns to me and announces, “I’ll take the little black one with the white whiskers.” I have to admit, it was too much of a Twilight Zone moment for me to say a firm no. I told Skye we’d talk it over with Daddy. When we told Malcolm what had happened, he shrugged helplessly. “It’s fate,” he declared. “We have to let her have that kitten.” We couldn’t just leave the little black kitten with the white whiskers on that lady’s doorstep until Christmas. We took it home. We also took the Siamese one home for Dash. (The lady kept the mamma cat for herself.) Sam and Whiskers have been with us for a week now. The house smells like a catbox. The kittens have given our dogs fleas. When they aren’t scratching, Ruby and Clarence run frantically around the house panting and barking at the kittens, who spend a lot of time knocking ornaments and tinsel off the Christmas tree. At night the kitties wait until I’m just about to fall asleep, then sneak up on the bed and bite my nose. But that’s small potatoes compared to what we discovered yesterday. We were standing in a packed line waiting to see Santa at the mall’s North Pole Village, when Dash held up his arm and cried, “Mom, look at this red circle, Do you think I have cancer?” “Of course not,” I replied firmly. “That’s ringworm. I’m sure of it.” Five parents and two elves instantly flattened themselves against Santa’s sleigh as I examined Skye, who also had ringworm, and Malcolm, who didn’t. Now Dash’s friend Chase has ringworm. So does Skye’s best friend, Katie. I’ve taken to enclosing anti-fungal cream in all of our Christmas presents. So if any of you were thinking of dropping by our house this holiday season—don’t. Just drive on by. And take Santa and his mangy beasts with you. There’s no room at this inn. From I’m Counting to 10…by Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner. Copyright (c) 2001 by SORIN BOOKS, an imprint of Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN, 1-800-282-1865. Used by permission.
|
|
Click Here. 
|
|||||
 | |||||||||
