Save the Puppies

I have to recount this story. It made me smile. A few days ago, I took my son to the pet store to look at the puppies. This pet store doesn't have a cage or glass, they actually have this little fence built around the puppies so you can touch them from over the fence, or through the mesh. My son had a blast. "Look at those puppies mommy- they are so cute!"

I watched him play with the puppies for about 20 minutes. There were 4 white little puppies in that cage. 3 of them were really tiny, and one was a bit bigger. Eventually, they started fighting. The bigger one started barking and biting the other 3, who were yelping and whining. I watched this for a couple of minutes, and then saw the expression on my son's face. "Honey- are you ok"?

"No mommy- we need to buy that big puppy". The big one? That was bizarre...It was the mean one that was causing all the trouble. "Why the big one?"...."Because, Mommy- if we don't buy him, he will KILL the other doggies and that would be VERY bad. We have to buy the big one to get him away from the little ones. We just HAVE to."

Wow...A bit altruistic there buddy, aren't ya? Um ok so I thought I'd ask him- did it occur to you that if we buy the mean doggie, WE would have to deal with him living in our house? (OK- This is a theoretical discussion only, cuz the fact is, there is no puppy thing happening in my house. Not now, not ever. But I had to ask the question). My son said "it doesn't matter. If we save the other dogs, they will be happy, and then I will be happy cuz they're too cute and we need to help them".

Adorable. I really don't think all kids think like this little guy. I know every parent thinks their child is the brightest, the nicest, the best kid on the planet, but make no mistake, I am NOT that parent. I know his flaws, and I know his strengths...But his incredible ability to care for others does overwhelm me sometimes.

This child is a little utilitarian. The greater happiness outweighs everything else. 3 puppies would be better off if we took the big one off their hands, so that's what we will do, even if it means we don't get to take home the best puppy.

I left the pet store hand in hand with my son thinking, wow- I hope he continues to be this way. I like his compassion, his care, his sensitivity. There are enough insensitive guys in this world, and not enough of the good ones. If I can actually help to keep my son where he is, nurture him, care for him, but teach him to be confident about himself at the same time- maybe, just maybe, he will be one of the good ones when he gets older. Maybe he will be one of the selfless ones who is capable of caring about others, and being in tune with his feelings and emotions, instead of putting up a brick wall, or hiding his compassionate side in an attempt to be more "macho".

I really hope that I am able to help raise my son in that manner. I hope I can raise him to be strong, confident, compassionate, but still a gentleman. If I can raise my son to be one of those men, I will definitely feel that I was a success as a mother.