i have had very special pets
"aussie" my precious lil australian terrier. he helped through surgery when i was young. we would pull ourselves "commando crawl" along on our bellies together. he ate doritos with me. My dad always said "he had the heart of a lion" , i tear up thinking of him now.
but now that i have children, there is no comparison. when i got sick of playin with aussie he went back outside with "gypsy" and "rebel".
i would lay my life down for my kids, i wouldn't for my pets.
i also "get" that some people can't have children (that would be devestating) but please don't compare your ANIMAL to my children!
2007-05-03 23:48:22 · 11 answers · asked by SweetieGoat 4 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
this is a check back in:
i asked people over in family and relationship and some of them totally didn't get it, if yer interested go check it out.
one would think it would be reversed huh? or just me?
2007-05-04 04:13:54 · update #1
When I was growing up my mother had A simease cat.She loved that cat more than her kids.Her cat came first no matter what.Its something you naver forget as a child.Pets are great companions,but never choose them over your kids.
2007-05-03 23:59:29 · answer #1 · answered by shadowmonkeyblue 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have a different perspective.
As alot of you, I don't have kids. But I do have a three year old nephew which I love dearly. My parrot and my dog are my family. My nephew is also my family.
The difference between my animal companions and my nephew are that my pet isn't going to grow up, eat me out of house and home, steal my car, back talk me, run away and then turn up on my door step with a police officer at their side, make independant decisions without me involved, get married and raise pets of their own and then throw me in an retirement village when the burden of caring for me becomes too much. Sure it will never happen to you, you are a good parent and will do right by your kids.
Yes indeed you can't compare animal companions with children. Although I agree whole heartedly the love you receive from your own child can't compare to anything else in the world. But ideally it is better to look at the big picture, it isn't all about what they can provide US, it is about what we can provide THEM.
2007-05-04 07:14:16 · answer #2 · answered by yonae12 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't have kids, but I do get insulted the other way round when people with children say that my pets are like children to me. :)
I'm not denying that there are similarities between having pets and children. My pets are special, unique little personalities, and I love them to bits, but they are not children nor substitutes for children.
I do not treat them like toddlers. I don't dress them up, hand feed them, cook for them, have parties for their birthdays, accessorise them etc. Also they don't get nearly as much time and attention as I would give a child. I don't expect them to develop like a child or have the same intelligens and emotional responses - and frankly I find it rude that people who ought to know me better would imply something like that.
If I wanted children, I'd be trying for some. Thing is, I don't, although I adore children and enjoy spending time with them.
Of course then there are people who are completely opposite and can't seem to understand why I get upset and grieve after losing a pet, because "it's just an animal".
2007-05-04 01:02:08 · answer #3 · answered by Voelven 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Since I don't have children, my ferrets are my world.
I think that its a matter of perspective. I'm sure if I had children, they would definitely be everything to me. =)
For younger people and people without children, pets ARE their babies.
We're not trying to trivialize your children, we just don't have the perspective you do. Pets are the best way for us to relate.
Now, if someone has pets and children and they treat their pets the same or, heaven forbid!, better than their kids then I think something is wrong.
But generally, we're not trying to say that our pets are as important as your kids. We're not even asking that you understand our devotion. We're just saying that our pets are as important *to us* as your kids are *to you*.
2007-05-04 05:16:03 · answer #4 · answered by notsoswan 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
OK, I get it -- kids are more important to their parents than pets are and I guess that's how it should be. I don't have kids.
What you have to understand is that for many of us, pets are as close as we are ever going to get to having kids. I'd give my life in a hot minute to save my pets but if I had kids depending on me, I might not.
I get REALLY upset when people make light of my love for my pets by saying "You don't know what love is until you have kids." BULL!!! OK, I don't know what loving a kid is like, but I DO know love!!
2007-05-04 13:07:19 · answer #5 · answered by luvrats 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
In India, specially in the state of Punjab, the kids are equated to pets.......like puppy,kitty, or with love they call o soor the putra, o kute they putra ( soor is pig, and kuta is dog, putra is son}
2007-05-04 03:00:59 · answer #6 · answered by Triumph 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i dont know..
Ive seen a few baby coons cuter than some babies ive seen..
Im teasing!
I have kids and pets..
I would lay down my life for my kids also..
but for my pet? no... My life is more important to me than my pets... but for my child.. in a heart beat! :)
but if i didnt have kids.. i dont know... i guess my pet would be my child then??
2007-05-04 04:06:19 · answer #7 · answered by Racquel 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
honestly i would do anything for my two year old son and almost anything for my animals. my animals are like my kids in the fact that they are family not pets.
2007-05-04 05:38:10 · answer #8 · answered by MommyCaleb 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree with you. Children are more special that pets.
2007-05-03 23:54:53 · answer #9 · answered by ♥Mommyof3♥ 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
depends on far they take it
2007-05-04 00:01:33 · answer #10 · answered by skcs11 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋