Woman Asks Husband and Kids to Prove They're Responsible Enough to Raise a Pet. Wins Online Support
Getting pets isn't as simple as taking in a furry friend from the street or buying one, but raising them requires the same level of care and responsibility as looking after one's own child. A mom on Reddit u/SeaworthinessOwn9590 highlighted this when she made her husband and kids prove that they could care for a dog before getting one. She asked the Reddit community if she was in the wrong for making this decision to see if her family could take care of the dog without her help. The mom started the post by mentioning that even before they got married and had kids, the couple always voted before making a big decision.
In this case, her husband and two oldest kids wanted to get a dog and she didn't. The mom did not want to get stuck caring for the pet if her family lost interest in the dog at some point. Hence she presented them with three conditions. She said, "One, smaller than sixty pounds, we do not need a mastiff. Two, a non-shedding dog only. None of us are allergic, I just don't want extra work. Three, for sixty days in a row they had to collect all the garbage from all the trash cans in the house and put it in the big garbage bin."
The mom laid out the rules to make sure her husband and kids understood the responsibility of bringing a pet home. "All three of them had to go for a one-mile walk twice a day with the GPS route tracker activated. If they missed a day they had to start over. The longest they have made it so far is two weeks," the post continued. "My parents called me up to say I was being ridiculous and petty. I 100% agree with them. But since they always side with the kids I was ready for them. I sent them a link for a dog walking service in my area. It is very reasonable."
The mom also mentioned to her own parents that if they want a say in the decision to bring in a dog, they have to set up an account with the dog walking company and she will be free to call them for their services whenever her husband or kids neglects the dog. "My husband has finally seen that the kids aren't responsible enough to have a dog. He said we needed to tell them. But I wasn't the one who sided with them when I had said I knew they were not ready. He thinks I'm being unreasonable," the post concluded. But fellow Reddit users sided with the mom and her decisions and left supportive comments.
u/MoonInvestors wrote, "This is a great tactic to show them the responsibility that comes with a pet. Also, beautifully handled by the grandparents. Watch out, I could see grandparents buying someone a dog for a birthday." u/Glanced4 remarked, "Most people don't understand the responsibility required to own a dog. Many dogs are neglected and mistreated because of it. And often the responsibility for preventing those things from happening falls on the most responsible member of the household, which sounds like you. The only thing I'll add is this: give them another chance. People can learn discipline and change."
u/junglemice added, "Found this a really interesting read! Loved the addition of household chores to mimic dog care responsibilities as a practice run. I do think dog walking would be a lot more motivating than walking without a dog, so I have some empathy for your kids for struggling to stick with that. Children's interests ebb and flow so much, and year-to-year their other responsibilities change. You were right to include your husband in this. I reckon that these rules feel harsh as a reader, but ultimately you've protected a dog from being neglected or unnecessarily uprooted and rehomed." In a follow-up post, the mom revealed that after almost a year they have found "an acceptable dog at a rescue and we are bringing him home."