Ways Having Pets Prepares You For Parenthood
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Facing the good parent/bad parent dynamic
It’s almost impossible to avoid this dynamic, whether it’s with pets or kids. My husband and I face it with our dog all of the time. I handle a lot of the not-so-fun stuff like giving her baths, taking her to the vet, clipping her nails, and making her take her supplements. And sometimes, I’m tired when the day is done. Then my partner steps in and, like a hero, suggests we all go to the park. I say, “I’m tired. Can we just do a walk around the neighborhood?” and he guilts me, saying, “But she loves the park! Don’t you want to make her happy?” Yes, that’s why I handle everything surrounding her health, dammit! So he takes her to the park, and he’s the hero. He’s the good parent. This will come up with kids, too.
