Critters and kids

[Chan]

How do you feel about animals in the same home with kids? Is it always okay? Are there limits? What would make you get rid of your animals in regards to your kids?

[Melanie]

People keep telling me that Baileys wont like Thea in the house and i should give her away now :(

I think she will be fine - she has been around babies since she was a puppy. She lets my baby cousins climb all over her lol.

If she ever turned on Thea then as much as i love her she would have to go.

[disnut8]

Definite experience here. When Chan's husband was in the womb, my mother-in-law insisted that we get rid of our dog. Who just allowed herself to be adopted by us. I said no way. She countered that Genny would be so upset with a baby that she would harm him.

I brought Chris back to the house and Genny was so excited. I brought Chris down to Genny's level where she sniffed him for a while. I thought my mother-in-law would faint (she's wonderful and no problems with her at all). From that moment on, any time Chris would even fart, that dog would come running to us to let us know. Chris and Genny even shared a chew toy.

I think the key is to give the pets just as much respect and love as you would with a sibling. We always call our pets Chris' brothers and sisters.

[Chan]

I agree with you both. I don't think an animal should automatically be considered dangerous just because a baby is in the house. We got rid of a cat because she attacked Marlie but she's happier in her new home.

And the other cats are scared of Marlie. Darren isn't. He thinks she's great. LOL.

We're going to let the cats sniff the baby's cap when we get the chance and then bring the baby in to let them see him. I think the mistake we made with Marlie was holding the cats. This time we'll just let them come to us.

[Elizabeth]

Pets and kids go together nicely if you aren't allergic like we are. I would get rid of one though if and only if I thought it was a threat to my kids. Some animals just like humans can't be trusted, then there are the others that are the kids best friend. Ok not really best friend, but you know what I mean.

[Elizabeth]

We're going to let the cats sniff the baby's cap when we get the chance and then bring the baby in to let them see him. I think the mistake we made with Marlie was holding the cats. This time we'll just let them come to us.
We did that with out cats when our oldest was born. They were ferral cats we adopted so when he cried for the first time, they cried to go back outside, lol. But none of them ever hurt him in any way. They just stayed away from him when he cried.

[MaryM]

I had a dog, GinGin, when Chan was born. First when I was pregnant with her...GinGin got kicked a few times....lol....she would look at me and pick her ears up. When I brought Chan home from the hospital, GinGin, sniffed at her a lot then would lay down. She was never a threat...always a good dog. When Chan was big enough to grab ears and tails....GinGin tried to keep her distance. The cats now have been kicked by Marlie and now by Mitchell...most of the cats do their best to avoid Marlie and I'm sure they will with Mitchell, too.

[~Lisa~]

Well our dogs went to outside dogs when we took my Nans two which took it up to 6 dogs for us but they have always been good with the kids. The cats were inside until they started pooping in the house after Chloe was born. I think they were marking their territory or something, LOL. But they final straw for them going outside way when one would sneak in to Chloe's room and lay in her cot. :(