Free Preschool Activities

This post might make me a little unpopular with my regular readers, but I think it’s an important issue that too many parents are unaware of.

The family and I just back from a long weekend in the Canadian Rockies. It was beautiful!

The only thing that I had to worry about was my dog, Roxy. We’ve had her for a year now. She was my Mother’s Day present last year. My two “former preschoolers” had decided they were too old to hug and cuddle with their mommy - they don’t even call me Mommy anymore! And after spending all those years hugging and kissing things better, I wasn’t adjusting very well.

Roxy, a miniature Schnoodle (cross between a poodle and Schnauzer) was just what I needed to fill that void. She was three years old, badly in need of a haircut, and recetnly rescued from an abusive situation. In fact, when the SPCA first found her, she was so afraid of people they couldn’t even get close enough to her to examine her.

Here’s a pic of my “baby” very shortly after she came home with me last May. She had been rescued only two months before, and was still very fearful.

Isn’t she a sweetie?

Yes, she is cute. Yes, she looks like a sweet little puppy. (Yes, she’s had regular haircuts since then, and it much tidier now!)

She’s also, even a year later, easily spooked and afraid of kids. It could be because she had never been around children, or perhaps she was mistreated by children. My own kids are 11 and 14, and she’s never had a problem with them. She has the hardest time with toddlers and preschoolers, for all the same reasons I like them so much! They’re energetic, loud, and move around a lot.

This is something we’re working on. But I think it’s better for Roxy (and my nerves) if we let her get used to the little kids who come over to our house regularly, and my baby nephews first.

So, I spent the weekend telling well-meaning parents that no, they should not be encouraging their toddlers and preschoolers to come and pet Roxy. A few of them were quite shocked that she would actually growl at their beautiful child when they raced up to her screaming, “Puppy, puppy!”

I know that kids love puppies and dogs. But if you don’t know for sure that a dog won’t bite your child, please don’t encourage them to touch it. You never know what a strange dog will do.

So, please, before you send your wonderful child to run over and visit my “puppy,” ask me if it’s safe. If I tell you it isn’t, don’t give me a dirty look. I’m only thinking about your child’s safety.Here is a link to a really good free eBook on dog safety, and there’s a special section for preschoolers and toddlers.