Billy’s first grade class celebrated pets this week. Each day some of the children were invited to bring a pet, a picture of their pet, or a stuffed animal to share with the class. Today was Billy’s assigned day. When he came home and handed me the note, Billy said, “Momma, can we take Hunter?”
Oy. Yes. Hunter is adorable and fluffy and kind and patient and we love him … but he’s a cat. A big cat. And my 6 year old is asking me with pleading eyes to take my cat to his classroom at school. It sounded like disaster to me. What if someone else brought a dog that same morning? Hunter loves dogs … all dogs do NOT love cats. Would I be able to control and contain and protect my beloved kitty?
I tried to talk Billy out of it.
I tried to convince him that we could borrow Grandmama’s little dog, Duchess. A small, fuzzy dog on a leash sounded so much safer to me (and easier). Billy finally consented, but I could tell his heart wasn’t in it. He wanted to take Hunter.
Sigh.
What’s a mom to do?
This mom took Hunter to Pet Day.
Billy was so excited. He had Hunter in his carrier 45 minutes before it was time to leave! He could barely stand waiting for it to be time for school to start.
His teacher had the students all sitting in a circle and the plan was for the child to take their pet around the circle and let everyone pet it. Before our turn there had been a big lab (who liked cats, thank you very much, since Hunter wouldn’t stop meowing in his carrier because he wanted out) and a gray kitten. The dog walked around the circle on her leash and the kitten was easy for a 1st grader to carry around. Hunter … not so much. Billy struggled to lift the heavy thing, let alone carry the squirming cat around the circle. I told him he could just put Hunter down and let him walk around the circle – without letting go, of course.
That worked much better.
Pet Day happened without incident (Hunter only tried to bolt once and I caught him easily).
Billy was happy.
And we were able to leave before the two pygmy goats came into the classroom …