LizT

If someone cannot have children and decides to get a dog and treat it with as much importance as they would have done with a child, what is so bad about that? ...um...because they are a dog, not a child. People make a big deal out of not andromorphing (sp? humanising) animal behaviour on this forum. I think treating a pet as a child AND also feeling a dislike towards children, could be unhealthy. As far as humanising pets I think it is is a 'biggie' in this area. Again, just my personal opinion.

Anyone who thinks having kids guarantees them company in their old age is dreaming. If you want company in your old age, friends are what guarantees it. Plenty of aged care workers can tell you that elderly folk get 'warehoused' and don't get family visitors. I can also tell you about children that fleece their parents and leave them destitute. There are also plenty of estranged families, geographically seperated families and families devastated by loss. Romance and reality are two different things. If your family is close its cause for celebration but its by no means a universal thing. Indeed. I think the lack of "the extended family" is partly to blame for the "me,me" generation. Also remember that just because I don't give birth doesn't mean I have no 'family'. I have a big extended family and we are quite close. I have no concerns for my old age. No, it doesn't. I was thinking more about the nuclear family as such.

Yes. Even long before children came into my life my dog was, my dog. My friend, companion, confidant, but my dog. :) The cat of course was the supreme commander and overlord. ;)

Me too, although in fairness some of the 'extremeness' looks to be due to the way the coats have been groomed. Some of the allegedly healthy dogs look anything but. I agree. You can cultivate a Show coat or have a Pet coat. Who is to say that the photo of the old "Old English Sheepdog" was not an animal that had been tended to with a pair of shears? I know that my pet Lhaso Apso never managed a long drappy coat as he lived outdoors during the day and I did not know how to groom him properly without breakage.

Anyone who thinks having kids guarantees them company in their old age is dreaming. If you want company in your old age, friends are what guarantees it. Plenty of aged care workers can tell you that elderly folk get 'warehoused' and don't get family visitors. I can also tell you about children that fleece their parents and leave them destitute. There are also plenty of estranged families, geographically seperated families and families devastated by loss. Romance and reality are two different things. If your family is close its cause for celebration but its by no means a universal thing. Indeed. I think the lack of "the extended family" is partly to blame for the "me,me" generation.

What's even sadder is when they do have kids and family and they just can't be bothered visiting or spending any amount of time with their elders.

YOU DON'T LIKE CATS? WHY? WHY? WHY? DON'T YOU LIKE THE LITTLE PUSSY WOOSSIES??????? Just kidding. ;) :p

A psychic ones told me I'd had 16 kids in a past life.. yep, that's likely to remove much interest in more :laugh: That 'ud do it! :laugh:

Cat crunchies are a favourite treat of most dogs and once they taste 'em...YUMMO, there is no turning back! The best thing is to put the kitty litter tray in a room that only the cats have access to. :)

My thoughts were not entirely about whether people like children or not. It was more to do with those I have met who have openly said they dislike children, and treat their pets as child subsitutes (furkids). You know the kind, they gush and goo over Fido and are often their own worse enemy when it comes to animal behavioural issues. As for the lady on the plane, in her defence, I guess she had no way of knowing that this little six months old baby had spent the last month travelling around Europe and the UK, that he had never uttered any peep, resembling a cry. That he was entirely breast fed (discreetly, I might add, I'm not one for flashing my boobs in an inappropriate place!) and because he was constantly with me, was feed when he stirred after a sleep, was changed (in the change room) after he was feed and was generally a happy little chap the whole time. He was passed around by flight attendants as they both, male and female couldn't get enough of him. Re ear pressure, the flight attendant advised me to pop him on the boob both before take off and prior to landing and this equalised his ear pressure and he had no problems at all. I don't see any evidence of child hatred in this thread but I have observed it in day to day circumstances both in people with and without pets. Why is this a problem some of you ask? Well, whether you like or dislike children personally isn't a problem at all. It is your choice and how you feel. I respect that. I'm not suggesting anyone feel other than what they do. I'm sorry if some of you felt it was an attack on your lifestyle choice. It isn't. It's just that when someones says that they "Dislike children, all children" I feel a tiny jolt go through my body. So I guess that makes it my problem. :) I certainly don't tolerate badly behaved annoying whingy brats well either. I will be the first to glare at a child running amok in a supermarket. It works. I'm not a saint. :laugh: My kids were never, and are not angels either. I too am an older sister, with two younger sisters five years and fourteen years my junior. I was mum to the youngest, as my mother had health problems and I was "left holding the baby" for a great deal of the time. I practically raised her until 3 years of age, then I left home and she came to stay with me often. I actually had not planned on having children myself, and if you'd asked me, in my early to mid 20's about any family plans, forget it. I was 29 when my first child was born. But I did get on very well with other peoples children and they would often flock to me at social gatherings (hmmm..so did their dogs and cats for that matter ) and I would get lots of cuddles, and play games with them and enjoyed doing so. I think I was far more tolerent of other peoples kids before I had ny own. :laugh: A psychic once told me I was surrounded by the spirit of animals and children...whatever I thought...but then maybe it's true. ;) I guess I'm no closer to really understanding why anyone likes or dislike anything..and maybe I don't need to be. Or maybe I do need to have it straight in my head. But thank you anyway for your frank and honest answers. :)

Because human nature is variable and there are some aspects of children that aren't very likeable, often starting with their parents. You don't have to hate kids to ask not to be seated next to one on a long haul flight. They often don't make for a restful trip. For the record - I don't hate kids. I don't love them either. They're little individuals and I can take them or leave them depending on their personalities and their parenting. Frankly I feel the same way about dogs. But if you want me to gush with unreserved affection and coo at something - show me a puppy. ;) Now why couldn't I have put it all as succinctly as that? Nice to see you back! :) I know this was directed at someone else, but I'm going to borrow it. I treat them like people. I talk to them like I would anyone else, and strangely, they seem to like me, maybe because I don't talk down to them or baby them. If they are being annoying though, I'll employ any avoidance tactics I can. If they are in my house and their parent is letting them run amok by repeating empty threats over and over while the bad behaviour is repeated (this has happened - dreadful parenting!), I will take over the disciplinary role if MY pets/plants/things are threatened. Kid cried but only because nobody had ever spoken to her like that before. I told her to buck up and stop her crying cos it wasn't going to get her anywhere. Good as gold for the rest of the visit, and even developed an interest in speaking to me - go figure. Shame mum was oblivious to the fact that her own lack of skills was creating her 'problem child'. This is pretty much what I will do if required with other peoples kids in my care or in my home. It creates a mutual respect. Oh, and the question was open. :)

This is just an acknowledgement that kids can be just as, if not more, destructive than dogs, so why should dog owners be treated as if they have leprosy when renting, yet there isn't even a 'child bond'. As to the rest, there is a difference between disliking children, and choosing not to 'hang out with' them. I don't 'dislike' children, but I do dislike a lot of things that tend to come with them, in particular - noise and smell. I'll be the first to admit that I wouldn't want to sit next to a child on a plane, and would probably request not to. If it's a baby, it is probably going to get stressed by the change in pressure, and wail, and is also highly likely to need to go to the toilet at some stage. With my superhuman sense of smell, the other end of the plane is close enough thanks. As to the wailing, while I would feel pity for the baby because it doesn't know why its ears hurt nor how to alleviate it, I would also want to be nowhere near that amount of constant and not very pleasant noise, which I'm afraid, would outweigh the pity. If it's a toddler or a few years older, it will be bored out of it's brain stuck on a long flight and my patience for "but Muuuuummm..." (or any other repetitive whining) will run out long before doting mum's will. If you have a well behaved child that will wait til the adults pause in conversation to say "Excuse me mummy"(or will interrupt to say excuse me, but then wait) , will play nicely with my dogs and cats and won't destroy my garden or shred the leaves of my plants, feel free to bring your child when you visit. If you have a child who will do the 'excuse me mummy' thing over and over at the top of its lungs until you yell "WHAT?" everytime you have spent more than two seconds in conversation instead of focussed on them, and when not interrupting, will demolish whatever it can lay its hands on, chase the cats and pull the dog's tail, I'm probably not going to invite you more than once unless you are willing to leave said child at home until it grows out of this stage. Having said all that, if a child, ANY child, was in genuine trouble, consider this a safe haven. :) That's good to know.

I have to say I probably would prefer not to sit next to a baby on a long haul flight today. It was more this womans tone and expression of utter disgust that shocked me. The only other time I have seen this attitude was with reference to a racial vilification towards a dark skinned person. I witnessed this as a child and still clearly feel the hatred and the shock that resonated through my small self.

Fair 'nuf. No one has to like children. So long as you are not a Primary School teacher or Child care worker I'm okay with that. But, if I may ask, is it ALL children, is there a reason or is it just "how you feel"? How do you interact with children if required to? Do you acknowledge them or are you dismissive of them? I mean, I don't like every adult (or child) I meet either.

Is it just me or......this is something I've often wondered and I'm ready with my flame suit on. But yes, over the years I have observed a number of my non children friends who have animals and have noticed that many of them, think of their pets as their children and also appear to actively dislike children. Why is this? I mean I know children are hard work and have their rewards and challenges, but hey, they were kids once too. There are many well behaved, nicely raised kids out there that are a credit to the future so why do some people get all anti-kids about it? So why the "not renting to families with kids" etc. On a plane returning to Australia from Vienna an old woman sat beside me, glanced at my 6 months old baby, pulled a sour face, called the flight attendant and stated "I specifically requested NOT to be seated next to one of those"! She got moved. I will admit sometimes other peoples kid annoy me when I see their mothers let them run amuk in shopping centres etc. but that does not colour my attitude towards ALL children, either prior to becoming a mother 22 years ago or after. ;)

The long line is great advise. When I first read this thread my thoughts went straight to "yellow Lab" :laugh: , however, in my personal experience, it's the yellow Lab that is the "humper" and not the humped. ;)

Congratulations Maxnkids on the impending arrival of your new family member! :)

Copyright claim.

I always understood "A dogs breakfast" or "A dogs Dinner" to imply the mess that was strewn about as the dog eats rather than the quality of the contents. Either way, I don't think either party could "Organise a piss up in a Brewery" at the moment. ;)

Bummer will not be there to see the debute. Just picture a Blowfly on a string! :laugh:

Oh Missymoo, not the outcome we had all hoped for. So very, very sorry to hear this news. I do take some comfort in knowing you have some closure for the little missing one. Play all day and never tire, chew that never ending bone, and wait patiently 'til you are reunited with your mistress over the bridge sweet girl.

T.A.R.D.I.S. playing up again? ;)

Oh Missymoo, just read this...hope little Keisha is found safe and sound soon.

...I feed chicken wings on occassion and dentastix....I've never found any remnants of the Dentastix but let me tell you about the shard of bone that went into my foot.....

Yah! My numbers are here. My first show in yonks! Emmalees first eva. :D