My horrible day spent with two kids that don't understand " Dont Touch the puppy!"

[Cookie2]

I just got home with Angel our 12 week old new furbaby. I left Cookie and Lola at home since they are older and would be ok until I got home tonight.
I was hesitating to take Angel with us because last time I took Cookie our friend's two kids would not stop grabbing Cookie. I have two kids of my own but when I yelled at them and was stern about how animals are not stuffed toys. They actually listened after 2 times and that was it. I just told my husband ahead of time to carry Angel in and to set some rules since the kids listen to my husband more.I brought a puppy tent with a zippered screen. As soon as they saw the puppy , My husband showed it to them and explained that they could NOT carry him because he is so small and to leave him in the tent. Ohhh geeze! Within 2 minutes the boy was hitting the tent and yelling Puppy! Puppy ! Do you want to come out of there!? He flipped the tent over! And Angel rolled over in the tent. My husband told them again very,very serious this time. DO NOT TOUCH, understand?? Well hubby walked away and the girl starts pushing the screen and the little boy stuck his hand under the tent and hitting it so Angel would bounce . His mom just saying in such a relaxed voice,"Kidsssss dont touch please... " I kept saying it over and over,my husband also repeating himself over and over. His mom would say something once in a while.I was there 12 hrs! I wanted to leave but we drove over 3 hrs and I could not get up and go myself. I lost count how many times that boy was warned , at least 50 times maybe? The kids were 6 yrs old and 8 yrs old. I'm sorry but that is NO excuse in my book.When I brought Cookie home mykids were 7 and 12. There is a bit of an age difference but my kids understood that for the first coupleof months the puppy would stay in my room and they would only sit with him while I was there. I never found them sneaking behind my back.
To give you an example of how those kids were. We went to the supermarket with them and the boy got lost 3 times and the girl got lost 2 times! We spent more time searching the entire store for them! I was about to burst and asked the mom " Do they always get lost when you go shopping? Don't you keep them close to you and the shopping cart? I told her if my daughter would do that she would get a spanking or we would leave. That has never happened to me by the way! I would freak out if my kids are not with me.With all the horrible news we see everyday with kids getting kidnapped,the mom seemed very unworried until I mentioned that the 8 yr daughter was missing and I just found her sandals in the next isle!
I had to take Angel out of the tent and put him in a carrier purse on my lap. The kids hovered over me begging to take him out and I said LEAVE HIM ALONE. The mom finally saw I was fed up and sent them to their room for a while.Sorry I had to vent! it was suppose to be a relaxing day ,BBQ andpool...NOT!


Genie,Cookie,Lola & Angel.

[Anna Banana]

I hate it when children are undisciplined little brats, to say it bluntly. I can't stand it when parents can't control their kids. If it takes a swat or a spanking to do so, then so be it. I was swatted and spanked, and I turned out okay. (I think?) Anyway, its worse when they don't know how to interact with a small animal. Maybe its just that I come from an animal loving family, but kids should know how to interact with an animal, even if it means sitting quietly by the puppy tent and just watching the puppy. Grrr! I'm with you.

[mikey1985]

Oh man thats awful. Those kids are completely undisciplined and the parents are to blame. If that was my kid, they would have been banished to their room right after the first tent episode. I'm sorry you had such a rough day I don't know how close you are with the parents but maybe you could tell them that their children's behavior might interfere with future visits Is your baby ok after her stressful day?

[BubblPopElectrc]

No offense, but, assuming you were at your friend's house (and you would have obviously known her kids were gonna be there) how can you complain about her kids in her house?

[autumn star]

I have two children of my own (7 and 4) and they know the rules. I also babysit 45hrs a week. 8 children ( 2 are my own) 9 being the oldest and 2 being the youngest. I am only going to tell the once not to touch the dog because she is small and fragile and could easily get hurt. If I have to repeat myself, off to the stairs for you. Now I know it is different because these kids are not in your home but none the less their parents should have the smarts to realize that most puppies are small and should not be roughed up by two children. I quess you will never bring your precious furbabies there again!

[MarilynMonroe]

the kids are 6 and 8! thats old enough for them to udnerstand to abide by rules AND realise that puppy needs to be left alone, my little sister is 7 and she understands animals are beings too with feelings. to me it seems the parents fault that the children are undisiplined. i certainly wouldnt have left it to a friend to tell the children off if they were mine! im sorry you had a bad day. poor puppy too

[sshaw]

Sounds like a horrible experience and I know the frustration must have been just nerve wracking! I have been in similar situations and have wanted to smack them around a little out of pure out of my mind frustration, but of course I would not, but you sure do want too! It sounds like the fault of the parents though, kids need disipline and they sure are not getting any. I hope you are having a better time now that you are home.

[makemepretty]

Honestly, if kids are going to be around an animal I do NOT want them to touch, I put the animal in a room that has a door that can be shut. Out of sight...out of mind.

Kids are kids and not every kid at the same age is responsible or mature(that's why they're kids and not adults, heck even some adults don't listen too well). I work with school age children and in a classroom the behaviors from one to another in the same age group are vastly different.

I personally, would not take a small fragile puppy where there was going to be kids. I think your own kids are different from someone elses(even a close relative). Kids also have very short attention spans. I'm sorry it was so stressful. I'm sure you were soooo glad to get back in that car! There was a thread about a little girl who sprayed a mom and puppies with something because they smelled(pooped) and it killed the puppies. Kids don't think things through. Even teenagers make stupid decisions so you can't expect a 6 and 8 year old to be mature enough to listen if they aren't capable. Each kid is different.

Just remember next time, you can't control someone elses actions...only your own(keep the puppy out of the line of fire

[FlDebra]

I think you had a right to think kids 6 and 8 should be able to hear the rules and abide by them with a little overseeing. The parents are at fault here -- and doing these kids no favor! When they grow up without discipline they wind up having problems with everyone -- friends, teachers, authorities. Those kids are right at the age where lousy parenting skills start taking their toll. They aren't cute anymore. THe kids will suffer in the end.

You did what you could do -- couldn't leave a tiny puppy alone that long, you brought protective tent and carriers, you kept the puppy in your lap. I know that had to be a stressful time. I would not have been able to show the patience to stay that long myself. If I decided to keep these people as friends, I would make a deal to both get sitters and meet in the middle somewhere for any future visiting.

[red98vett]

Oh man Genie....what a day. I blame the parents too here ... 6 & 8 is usually such a great age with kids but it sounds like they're pretty wild. I have a neighbor kid who pokes sticks thru my fence at the girls (right at face level) and want to go ballistic but he's just a little boy and not as old as those kids.....Why would parents not step up and teach their kids respect for animals ? This is the time to get started ...actually they're a little late ....and it sounds like those kids are running the house not the parents...

It's so hard to relax when you have to be on constant alert and that shouldn't have happened. When someone says NO TOUCHING - then the kids should have listened.

[yorkieskater]

I work as a teacher and a coach. 6 and 8 years is plenty old enough to understand the word "no" and leave the dog alone. My friend has a 4 year old that knows the word "no". If I were you, I would not take any of my dogs back there or bring them around those kids again.

My dog goes with me to work and I have kids ranging in age 2-18 around him at the rink. The two year old acts like a two year old...typical..but the mother still is very active about teaching her rules...although very difficult being that she is a baby. Her sister (7 years old) has never had to be told twice that she cannot carry my dog...but she is allowed to sit with him in her lap. With ALL the kids I encounter, I do not have to worry because they know the rules and follow them. I will say that I am careful about where I bring him because not all parents follow through as well as the kids I just mentioned.
suz

[Peters]

they should have had their butts spanked after a few times! anyone who just lets their kids run wild and crazy shouldnt have kids and i believe i would have told her so also i would not have stayed or moved the pup to a room with a door that could be locked or something

[WV~Yorkies]

I am sorry I am with Kyle on this one.

If someone came into my home and was fussing at my kids I would go off!

Sorry but you should have found a sitter for the dog if you knew how it was going to be.

[yorkiepip]

They should understand no at that age!

[JeanieK]

The trip to the store said it all. The mother has no control what so ever, and obviously doen't care.

When you first told the story I thought you were talking about 3 asnd 4 year olds, I could believe they were 6 and 8.