Touching base with my son off and on this week I’ve kept up with how he is continuing to adjust to single parenting a bulldog puppy. My son is exhausted with a dose of cold and flu and recovering by resting, taking his vitamins and drinking lots of fluids. Of course, he also has his powerhouse puppy to contend with and he must walk her, clean up after her, feed and care for her as he balances work and getting over the flu.
Now doesn’t that sound familiar? It is a big job being a pet parent and when you aren’t feeling well you have to just suck it up and carry on. So, upon hearing that my only child (my very adult son) was feeling crummy I drove into town and got him some chicken soup, ginger ale, groceries, flu and cold meds etc. so that he could cope a little better.
You see, I’m a very caring mother and generally over do things like this whenever I feel it is necessary. As far as the puppy is concerned, she is doing fine after her eye surgery last week and has adapted to my son’s temporary flu . Mostly, the two of them cuddle on the couch and watch the Olympics together when he is home from work and doesn’t have too much zip left in him .
By Friday night, my son was miraculously well enough to go out with his buddies to a summer event in town but had to also squeeze in some extended training time for Penny at her puppy kindergarten class. She had missed a class the previous week due to her surgery. I decided to show up to make sure all was going as planned .
There I was, like the dreaded helicopter mom, hovering as close as possible. It was fun to see Penny master all her basic skills and enjoying herself in the process.It was also good to just hang out with my very adult son who doesn’t seem to mind that I sometimes tag along…but I also know when to back off. Hey, it works for me.
An Embarrassment of Freedom 