Children are filled with magic, wonder, hope. Belief. They’re already filled with the things we want to instill in them as their parents, aren’t they?
Would you save this puppy?
One of my children has an app that includes a “save the puppies” component. It’s a crafty app, as many children’s apps are, in that you can save more puppies if you earn “rox” through different jobs you can do around the app world. The craftiness comes in, of course, where you have the option not to “earn” rox, but to “buy” them instead.
With real money.
One morning the girls were trying to save the puppies before school and they weren’t able to do complete the task.
Sad, sad morning.
Especially when their mean OLD mother didn’t let them buy rox with real money to get a second chance before school.
Aren’t I awful? Not letting them buy fake gems with real money to save fake puppies?
They certainly thought so.
There were tears from both of them, muttering under the breath about how unfair I am to them, and just general discontent.
One of my goals as a parent is to never send them to school unhappy. I got this gem (for free!) from Betsy at Zen Mama.
So I had a choice to make. Buy them the rox and let them have another chance to save the puppies. Or try to think of a way to send them to school happy.
Because we all know I wasn’t going to pick the buy fake gems option, don’t we?
Of course we do. That would be ridiculous.
So, in a spark of parental genius, I said, “Guys, let’s stop crying over saving the puppies! I’ll tell you what. If we ever looked out in the backyard and saw REAL puppies running around needing saved, I would let you go save them. I would even help you! Even if that meant being tardy for school. I’m just not going to spend our money saving fake puppies. Ok?”
Sniffle, sniffle. ”Ok, Mom.” Sniffle.
So we go to the car, get in and back down the driveway. I know they’re still upset, but they’ve gotten themselves together for the most part.
Until.
One of them says, voice quivering with even more tears, “Mom?”
I can tell this is a “I have to stop the car moment.” Sometimes you just can.
So I stop the car in the driveway and turn and make eye contact.
“Yes, honey?”
And she has huge crocodile tears spilling over her lashes, with so much hope and fear in her eyes.
“Did you mean it? If there really were puppies in the driveway would you let us save them no matter what?”
“Yes, honey. Of course I would. We couldn’t let real puppies go without being saved.”
And with that, they were both OK. Happy even.
All was right with the world. In the land of children, if puppies needed saving, they could be the supergirls who did it.
And all this reminded me, once again, that the mind of the child is the most amazing, wonder-filled, hopeful treasure trove any of us will ever be witness to.
And we get to witness it every single day.
So go save some puppies with your children this weekend.
Have a great one.
XO
Nice job, Mama! I’ve definitely heard of “Save the whales,” but never “Save the puppies.”
I think I’m going to use this line from your post as an all-purpose “that’s not going to happen” with my kids: “I’m just not going to spend our money saving fake puppies.”
Ha! Yes, maybe that’ll become my go to phrase – “I’m not going to spend our money saving fake puppies!”
This is sooooo sweet and wonderful. And what a great lesson for everyone about where your priorities are!
Thanks, Renee!
Those goofy games. I play them, too. Not the facebook ones, but … well, I won’t be getting ‘save the puppies’ anytime, soon, because Caroline gets so caught up in that stuff. It becomes real to her until I snap her out of it. And I don’t mind seeing her lose herself this way, except when she comes to me asking, “Mom, I have to have a poison dragon, but I’m out of gems” and I have to explain “rip offs” and “fake deals” and “advertisers” and “bullshit, baby, they’re full of bullshit”. Which is never very popular.
Yep, pretty much!
If you’ll excuse me, though, I have to go, because if I don’t build three windmills, the cafe won’t have enough power, and I have to add some parks or I’ll never get the environmental goal either…
hahahahaha
Awww. What a moment. My kids would be all over saving the puppies.
I had a feeling my kids wouldn’t be the only ones!
Your post struck a chord with me – which is exactly why we are on foster dog #12. But seriously, I would rather save real life puppies than give any amount of money to save fake puppies in a game!
I know, right? I can’t believe some of these games!
Haha this made me laugh! Love that you didn’t cave! Kid’s do have the most wonderful minds! Their potential is limitless!
You have sweet girls.
And well done mama!! I’m writing this down.
Thanks, Tinne.
What a sweet, mean mama you are! I could imagine this playing out with my girls exactly as you’ve described, but I never would have had the presence of mind to think of your idea. Genius! Until all those puppies start showing up in your driveway, of course! Great post!
Right! So funny and sweet at the same time that morning was.
Hello, friend. I picked a great post to come back to. Loved this. Was so with you on NOT fake buying the artificial rox thingies to save the not real pups. And I know that you would save real ones in a heartbeat. ps – Inboxing you soon. Look for me, mmmmkay?
Just replied! Thanks for the nice words here.
I love the way you turned this morning around.
Thanks, Tracie!