And just like that, this summer ended. The truth is that holidays pass so quickly that before you even take a dive, you are already returning home. To your ordinary life. On the one hand, a lot of obligations await you overflowing from your agenda and on the other, you have returned with your suitcases full of beautiful and refreshing memories. I honestly believe that ten days of abstinence from the daily routine is equivalent to all the necessary energy you need, in order to cope with the demands of the rest of the year.
During vacation we had a very special company with us. Thor or Thorito, as my little daughter fondly calls him. Oh yes! You got it. I am talking about a very playful and lovable two-year-old dog. More specifically, a gray french bulldog with a little white on the sternum. Looking like a groom. The only thing that is missing is a black bow tie.
So, we met Thor for the first time last year. One afternoon, my husband brought him home unannounced to surprise the girls. Some of our good friends had asked him to look after the dog for one day, as they would be out of town for bussiness.
When they entered the house, I was giving my little daughter a bath. Then, I heard the eldest one screaming:
“I will not get down unless this thing gets out of here!”
I popped out of the bathroom straight to the living room, with the little one wrapped in a towel in my arms.
“What happened?” I asked.
Before I realized it, I saw something small, gray, wandering restlessly all over the room, grunting like a pig. It was so unexpected that at first we all got scared. My eldest daughter had literally climbed on the radiator and would not get down. While, my little one had grabbed my hair and was crying inconsolably.
“I’m scared! Mom, I’m scared! Get it out of here! ” she was shouting.
After a while, the girls closed the door of their bedroom and stayed inside for almost an hour. Later, they timidly pulled their heads out. Poor Thorito had fallen asleep on the couch cuddling with my husband. Snoring like a human. The next day, after the dog explored the new environment and calmed down a bit, the girls finally approached him. The first caress was enough to “fall in love” with that wonderful creature. Especially, my eldest daughter. She had hugged Thor and did not want to let him go. She got very upset when he finally left.
So this summer, we had Thor with us for two whole weeks. Day by day, my little daughter also got used to him and felt more comfortable being around him. She would pet him, tickle him, hug him, rub his belly and scratch his ears. Eventually, they became inseparable. Every morning, before I took the first sip of coffee and enjoyed the picturesque view of our village, I heard two little voices from inside the house:
“Mum! Did Thor wake up?” girls would ask me.
Imagine a couple in love running on the beach, in order to hug each other. Like in the movies. Well, I was enjoying such a scene every day. When the girls were seeing the dog and the dog was seeing the girls. The only thing missing was the music and the beach. Then, they were talking to Thor incessantly.
“My Thorito! I love you so much! You are so cute!”
The dog, in turn, reciprocated their love, by jumping on them excitedly.
When we all were eating together, he would rest his front legs on the table and with his tongue out, he was waiting for someone to offer him a treat. That dog ate literally everything! For real, he had no specific preferences. Whatever he saw, he wanted it. I had never seen a dog eating watermelon, nuts and bread.
The funniest moment that we will not forget, was when he was playing non-stop with a tennis ball. He was running like crazy back and forth. He would throw it down and catch it again, bite it, fight with it and at the same time growl. After a few minutes of continuous noise, there was a sudden silence. We curiously looked under the kitchen table. He had fallen asleep with the tennis ball in his mouth, snoring. Although, his sleep lasted only five minutes. He just rested a little from the intense play. Once he got up, he continued running again.
Did I mention the best part? When he was getting hot or wanted to get some fresh air, he would open the car window by himself, by pressing the window button with his paw. At first, I thought that he did it by accident. But then, when he did it repeatedly, I was stunned.
In addition, we were taking him with us to the beach. Although, he was not a fan of water and hot weather. He would rather prefer to rest under an umbrella. In general, a french bulldog, does not tolerate high temperatures. However, one day, he swam on an inflatable mattress with the girls. That unique dog, did not get unnoticed by anyone outside. Kids and adults, would always stop to admire and pet him.
Spending time with Thor, I realized that having your own dog has many benefits. Especially for children.
To my great surprise, I noticed that my little daughter stopped being afraid of all the other dogs, thanks to Thor! While in the past, she took three steps back when she would meet a dog. Now, she approached them fearlessly. In fact, she was asking other dog owners, if she could pet them.
The girls spent many hours playing with him. Thus, the time spent in front of the screens, was reduced. In addition, their psychology had improved. They did not moan or get bored when we were staying at home, because they had the adorable french bulldog to play with. You might wonder, why would a kid get bored on vacation? I will agree with you. But honestly, sometimes, I do not get my kids either. They might be griping for no apparent reason.
Our little friend Thor, the favorite french bulldog, filled us with love, joy, peace of mind and endless moments of laughter. A love so pure and true. All he wanted in return was a little affection and play. One day, the little one was crying loudly, because she hit her hand. While I was holding her in my arms, Thor climbed on the couch and came beside her moaning, as if he was upset too.
“Do not cry my love, you see, Thorito is crying too!” I had told her.
At that moment, looking at him, she gradually began to calm down. After a few minutes, she had completely forgotten about her pain.
In conclusion, I believe that holidays with children and a dog are ultimately the best! Perhaps, as a mom, I did not get enough rest. In the mornings, I was waking up at six or seven o’clock. My little daughter was also waking up at that time. I was cleaning the house and doing the laundry. I might I did not get the chance to enjoy a few moments of serenity on the beach. Nevertheless, the bottom line is that with such a great company: my family, the french bulldog and the good friends, I had the most amazing time on holidays.
Do you have a dog? If yes, how does it affect your children’s psychology?
