Why I still celebrate Mother’s Day… without kids!

Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate Mother’s and maternal bonds. With that in mind, let’s get real. My furry kids don’t look like me (mostly), and they can’t talk back, and they certainly won’t cost me a fortune in college tuition. BUT in reality, they’re no less my children than the human variety. I’d argue that there are many ways they’re BETTER than human kiddo’s, but admittedly there are also a few key ways in which they’re infinitely harder.

Why are furry kid Moms “real” Moms?

1. We love these furry little faces to the depth of our core. The love we feel for them can render us speechless with wonder and paralyzed with fear at the prospect of losing them.
2. We worry about their development. We know that the first two years are SOO important to their long-term development and we spend much of that time doing things like socializing them with people and dogs and exposing them to new experiences because we know it will give them the best possible chance at long-term happiness.
3. We care about their behavior. We take the time to teach them manners… and we’re fairly horrified when they abandon what we taught them. (ahem, Murphy!)
4. Their health often takes precedent over ours. We make sure they get vegetables daily, and pour over ingredient labels for their daily meals. They get regular vet check-ups, and if they have an unexplained sore? Off to the vet they go within days (sometimes hours). Compare that to the length of time we’ve had that mole/sore foot/toothache without seeking treatment……… well, precisely my point.
5. We celebrate their birthdays and gotcha days, mostly for us. They may not know why we’re celebrating, but they’re no less excited about the new toy or the personalized “pupcake”. And knowing that we’re giving a little more back to them makes US happy.

Why are furry kids better than human kids?

1. You can leave them home alone. They don’t always like it, and they quickly perfect the “woe is me” eyes when you move towards the door, but you can leave them home without fear of somebody repossessing your kids.
2. They can’t talk. You won’t get incessant “but why?’s” during toddlerdom, the “I’m bored”‘s of young kids, or the teen-aged “i hate you!”‘s screamed at the top of their lungs.
3. They are ALWAYS happy to see you. And they are ALWAYS game to do something, ANYthing! There is no human equivalent to this level of dedication and enthusiasm.

Where do furry kids fall short of human kids?

1. Transportability. Human kids can go most anywhere. Furry kids (especially larger or feline ones) are extremely limited in the venues at which they’re welcome.
2. They can’t talk. (This one’s the catch-22.) They can’t tell you when they feel bad. They can’t tell you when the cat/dog/bird is picking on them and making them uncomfortable. And they can’t tell you they love you. (But, you know.)
3. Mortality. This is the big one, and the hardest to swallow. You know that you’re going to outlive them. Time and time again, you will mourn the loss of your child. You will watch them go from goofy puppy/kitten/adolescent to tentative and confused senior. Odds are, you will ultimately have to muster up the courage to let them go. Any Mom would give anything to avoid that reality.

So on this Mother’s Day, if you’re a furry kid Mom, take time to celebrate you, and do so without hesitation. IF your furry kids could talk (and reason), they would want you to be proud of all you do for them day in and day out. It’s not easy being a Mom of any living being, but the rewards in all cases are so well worth the sacrifice.

Happy Mother’s Day!