growing together
The value of a dog By Chris Worthy WNC Parent columnist
Charlie — also known as Charles, Chuck, Chucktown, Charlie Brown, Charles Barkley, Sir Charles and, when he is especially inquisitive, Charlie Rose — has entered our lives on little cat feet. Actually, his feet are of the giant Labrador retriever variety, but they are eerily quiet. Charlie has brought love, wonder and a wee bit of chaos to our lives and the life of our 12-year-old goofy dog, Maggie. And he has further solidified my son’s contention that a house is not a home without a dog. Possibly because he is allergic to cats, dogs are by far the pet of choice for my
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boy. As soon as he was old enough to articulate the ideal grown-up life, he was certain that it included a wife, children, a house and a dog — always a dog. He has grand plans of getting a rescued Lab one day, when he finishes college and has a job. It is, without a doubt, a life goal for him. I would never, ever issue a blanket recommendation that children need a pet. Some families don’t need — and shouldn’t get — even a goldfish. But for those who can make the commitment and take on the responsibility for the life of the animal, I do think their children will be all the better because of it. From our dogs, my children have learned that love is not always convenient. Sometimes it means staying up all night with a sick dog or coming home early because pets don’t understand why dinner is delayed. My children have learned the responsibility of the daily care of an animal and they’ve learned a
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Charlie recently joined the Worthy family. SPECIAL TO WNC PARENT
great deal of personal responsibility as well. (If you don’t want it chewed, don’t leave it on the floor. Words to live by.) And we’ve all learned that what we give is returned to us tenfold. We love deeply, play with abandon, sacrifice our time and resources when needed and, when it’s time, we hold them tightly as they breathe their last breath. Welcome, Charlie Boy. We promise to give you the best life possible, but we already know you’ll give us more in return. Chris Worthy is an attorney who took down her shingle to be a stay-at-home mom. Reach her at chris@worthyplace.com