Monday, March 27, 2006
What Did It Cost?
Christmas kittens. The two little girls arrived on Christmas Eve and have been the prized possessions of the children since. My best girl chose the name 'Zana' for her sleek, black kitty; "it's Spanish for 'princess'," she explained. My best boy's fuzzy, stripped kitten would be called, 'Lola'.
When they got their last shots, more development had occurred. It had become clear that Zana was male. I don't know how I hadn't noticed, but I was accustomed to saying, 'the girls,' so maybe I didn't want to see it. "Have you fed the girls?" "Do the girls have water?" My daughter did not miss a beat. She changed her kitten's name to a more masculine monicre, but he may always be 'Princess' to me. Old habits die hard. (I'm still pressing for 'Zana-dude' but she won't hear of it. It's goofy.)
Since it's time for the kittens to get 'altered,' I have been doing some research to find out the most economical way to have these surgeries done. It turns out there's economical benefit to having a male cat when it comes to reproductive surgery. It's a less expensive, less invasive surgery. Maybe I'll break down and learn his name after all!
As I prepared to take the kittens to their schedulled appointments, I started the necessary education of the children about the 'after care' rules: "The kittens will be sore.... We cannot pick them up for two weeks..... Blah, blah..."
I then realized something. The children, who are the owners of the kittens, were not AT ALL on board with my plans. They wanted baby kittens. "Kittens are SO CUTE!!!" they exclaimed. I recited multiple reasons responsible pet owners limit the pet population, but they were not moved. They did concede that siblings should not have babies together, but they were willing to bring non-related spouses into the picture right away. They were match-making on the fly. A kitten-mill plan was hatched before my very eyes!
I assured them no litters of baby kittens were forthcoming. I argued that hundreds of cats are killed every day in our area because they don't have homes. I told them when they grow up and have their own homes, they can try to rescue all those cats if that's their life's work, but that I am unwilling to do so. I insisted that the surgeries would occur as planned. (Life can be harsh.)
My little man-child is an entrepreneur. He said, "We can sell them and make lots of money!" I told him nobody sells kittens. There are already too many...blah, blah... He argued, "But you bought them for us for Christmas, right?" "No," I told him, "they were free." He was quiet for several seconds before asking, "You mean the best Christmas present EVER was FREE?!!??"
We had a beautiful moment as we discussed how so many of the best things in life are free. I was surprised at how many blessings they indenified together. How blessed we are!
The kittens are now non-productive members of society.
The best things in life are intangible.
All is well. ¶ 8:55 AM
When they got their last shots, more development had occurred. It had become clear that Zana was male. I don't know how I hadn't noticed, but I was accustomed to saying, 'the girls,' so maybe I didn't want to see it. "Have you fed the girls?" "Do the girls have water?" My daughter did not miss a beat. She changed her kitten's name to a more masculine monicre, but he may always be 'Princess' to me. Old habits die hard. (I'm still pressing for 'Zana-dude' but she won't hear of it. It's goofy.)
Since it's time for the kittens to get 'altered,' I have been doing some research to find out the most economical way to have these surgeries done. It turns out there's economical benefit to having a male cat when it comes to reproductive surgery. It's a less expensive, less invasive surgery. Maybe I'll break down and learn his name after all!
As I prepared to take the kittens to their schedulled appointments, I started the necessary education of the children about the 'after care' rules: "The kittens will be sore.... We cannot pick them up for two weeks..... Blah, blah..."
I then realized something. The children, who are the owners of the kittens, were not AT ALL on board with my plans. They wanted baby kittens. "Kittens are SO CUTE!!!" they exclaimed. I recited multiple reasons responsible pet owners limit the pet population, but they were not moved. They did concede that siblings should not have babies together, but they were willing to bring non-related spouses into the picture right away. They were match-making on the fly. A kitten-mill plan was hatched before my very eyes!
I assured them no litters of baby kittens were forthcoming. I argued that hundreds of cats are killed every day in our area because they don't have homes. I told them when they grow up and have their own homes, they can try to rescue all those cats if that's their life's work, but that I am unwilling to do so. I insisted that the surgeries would occur as planned. (Life can be harsh.)
My little man-child is an entrepreneur. He said, "We can sell them and make lots of money!" I told him nobody sells kittens. There are already too many...blah, blah... He argued, "But you bought them for us for Christmas, right?" "No," I told him, "they were free." He was quiet for several seconds before asking, "You mean the best Christmas present EVER was FREE?!!??"
We had a beautiful moment as we discussed how so many of the best things in life are free. I was surprised at how many blessings they indenified together. How blessed we are!
The kittens are now non-productive members of society.
The best things in life are intangible.
All is well. ¶ 8:55 AM
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I love your kids!!! What an awesome story, and an awesome lesson. I love how you seize those teachable moments. And you're so funny!
Love ya.
Love ya.
Jennifer - Thank you for your kind words.
Doug - That was the first and most blaring example of something we could NEVER get, except through grace!
Rev-ed - That's an interesting question! I might try it and see...
I thought about telling them the person who passed the kittens along offered me $25 to take them. That's what it costs to place them through a pet shop.
Doug - That was the first and most blaring example of something we could NEVER get, except through grace!
Rev-ed - That's an interesting question! I might try it and see...
I thought about telling them the person who passed the kittens along offered me $25 to take them. That's what it costs to place them through a pet shop.
Growing up, we always seemed to have a pregnant cat around having kittens. Looking back, it was irresponsible, but my parents could not afford to have all the kitties fixed, and back then it wasn't as frowned upon. They were half-wild anyway.
As it turns out, the street we lived on became the number one predator of the neighborhood cats, and their population fell to the point that we could finally have the remaining 4 cats fixed. The last surviver from that group died about 10 years ago... of natural causes.
You have a great way of looking at things, Julie, and of turning experiences into life lessons for your kids. That's so refreshing!
My 10 yr old boy wanted all sorts of gadgets and games for Christmas. But a friend at work had a bicycle she was GIVING away (because her son outgrew it). This became a Christmas present for my son... a USED bike! At first I worried that he'd complain, but his comment was, "this is the best present you could have gotten me." I told that to my friend at work too, and it warmed her heart to hear that we had given an old thing some new life.
That's why we donate all our kids toys to various charities. There is always a kid out there who would LOVE to have what our kids have outgrown.
As it turns out, the street we lived on became the number one predator of the neighborhood cats, and their population fell to the point that we could finally have the remaining 4 cats fixed. The last surviver from that group died about 10 years ago... of natural causes.
You have a great way of looking at things, Julie, and of turning experiences into life lessons for your kids. That's so refreshing!
My 10 yr old boy wanted all sorts of gadgets and games for Christmas. But a friend at work had a bicycle she was GIVING away (because her son outgrew it). This became a Christmas present for my son... a USED bike! At first I worried that he'd complain, but his comment was, "this is the best present you could have gotten me." I told that to my friend at work too, and it warmed her heart to hear that we had given an old thing some new life.
That's why we donate all our kids toys to various charities. There is always a kid out there who would LOVE to have what our kids have outgrown.
What a quote!
Incidentally, I just read your February 21 post about the lack of grace at a "Christian" school. Deplorable.
Incidentally, I just read your February 21 post about the lack of grace at a "Christian" school. Deplorable.
Chris - what a great experience with the used bike!
OE - thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your thoughts about the 'christian' school policy.
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OE - thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your thoughts about the 'christian' school policy.
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