Quote:
Originally Posted by chimera17
As a parent, you are not supposed to outlive your children. In that regard, our relationship with our fur babies can never really be like the relationship we have with human children.
Not having children in no way diminishes the value or nurturing capabilities that someone has! It just isn't fair to compare parenting with pet ownership, no matter how easy it is to try that comparison. I also think it is a big emotional risk and potentially unhealthy to put too much of the parent/child expectations into a pet relationship, especially given the fact you will almost certainly outlive your pet. It is just asking for heartache  |
I have to disagree with this. My parents outlived two of their children. I watched multiple families bury their children. Unless you are living in fantasy land as a parent believing nothing bad will ever happen to your kids, the biggest fear you have is that something WILL happen to your children and you will lose them, and what would happen to a child to take a child out of your life is bound to be MUCH more lastingly traumatizing. A child cannot be replaced. I've seen it happen far too many times to think otherwise. Parenting is probably the biggest emotional risk a person can make in life.
You might say a pet cannot be replaced, but I disagree. Yes, it hurts to lose of loved pet, but they can be replaced with a new loving companion animal. That cannot happen with a child.