3 Black Noses and a Lady

I am afraid I have become the enabler of bad behavior! Actually I have probably done more than my share all my life. It's a hard habit to break when you are the people-pleaser peace-maker kind of person. All things are very good-- in moderation. I don't have all the answers that's for sure.

So Roxee Lynn snores in bed. Actually all 3 dogs snore, and I just put my iPod in and try to sing myself back to sleep. We only have a queen size bed. I can deal with a couple of very small Bostons in my bed in fact I rather love the warmth and security. The bed accommodates four just fine Mr. Dozer is welcome in off hours. Eleven to seven are pretty well designated for my husband. Here is the problem...if I have been gone all day I feel Dozer needs the togetherness of the family and not to be singled out by making him sleep on the couch in the other room or at the foot of our bed. He's a freaking DOG (I know)! And I love him, I cuddle him, play with him, pick up after him, scold him, feed him, clean out the boogers in his eyes for him and I feel his tender little heart. What can I say? So some nights it's the 5 of us (and it ain't pretty). My legs feel like they are in a mummy sleeping bag made out of dog. We usually get to fore go the 5 a.m. growl potty call from Mr. Dozer because his bladder does not seem to bother him so much when he feels the warmth of Gramog's legs all night. Funny thing?

My son doesn't care about the sleeping arrangements. When he takes his booboo's on "his weekends" they sleep with him too. But he is NOT happy about my indulgence with his babies and sharing my toast, okay little snippets of meat, maybe a little cookie here and there, ya they actually ate broccoli with me the other day. OK, so we eat all of our meals together!!! The 3 kids are gone now and I just have 3 different pair of hungry eyes looking at me when I eat! If I don't share they love me all the same, but what the heck they love people food sooooo much. Dozer sometimes whines when I am getting to the end of my toast. Is this bad behavior, poor dog etiquette, have I enabled him? I think he is an awfully smart bulldog. Gramog is proud!

It is said that we let our grandchildren (or grandog's) get away with more than we would our own children. WELL I'LL BE! Is this not how it should be? Is there proper order in how things are to be done, those'unwritten rules'? Grandparents, spouses, even step parents until they have earned the respect and trust(which takes time)should be there to support and give unconditional love to family (dogs are family too ya know). Do we disempower the actual one who should be in charge of doing the parenting, the parent(s) themselves when we overpower them because we think we are the ones who have all the answers? Who is to say you are right? Just a thought??? I realize some grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. have custodial rights and they ARE the designated authority and primary disciplinarian and caretaker in the child's...or dogs life, whatever the situation may be.

I am not advocating letting children get away with bad destructive behavior that is violating you. That is called setting YOUR BOUNDARIES. There is a difference. But that is about you, not them and not the parents or any other relationship you may be in. We get the lines crossed often. We place judgment often on everyone and everything and do not look in the mirror.

As I finish this entry I have 2 black nosed short haired love dogs in my lap and I am having a hard time reaching the keyboard, but I manage. The other big lug WILL NOT fit or I would probably try to finagle it. His black nose rests on the red blanket in my lap waiting for a smidgen of toast.

Some bad behavior is just plain worth it...at least in this ladies mind. I AM a Gramog you know!