At this point in my life my only experience at raising anything with a personality has been with my little dog Tinkerbell. She is a 3.5 lb Pomeranian and she certainly is full of personality. This weekend we took her to the dog park because the weather was so nice, and I was reminded yet again that my little girl is a bit of a sissy. I am totally in denial when I take her to the dog park because most of the time she is either roaming the perimeter by herself, or scratching my leg to get picked up. Basically she’d be just as happy at home on the couch….ahhhh a girl after my own heart! But see that’s the problem. I really don’t want my future kids to be like that. I want my kid to be outgoing and social. Not the kid that hangs on to mommy’s pant legs. I know I baby my dog, but does that mean I’ll baby my kid? Do you think there is any correlation to raising a dog vs. raising a kid?

It’s hard to understand for some, but my dog is really a part of our family. For now she is our child. She has been my baby for over five years. I don’t activly try to make her have attachment issues, but as it turns out she truly does. But she is my best friend so I will admit that I have attachment issues with leaving her too. People laugh and tell my that my future children are going to have issues, and if I have a boy I will make him a wuss, but I resent that. Do you really think my “parenting skills” will be similar when I have a baby? I will cuddle and love that little being to death…I know that…but is that wrong?

What do you think makes a social child? I like to believe that it has to do with early on making sure that he/she gets passed around to enough people, and that mommy and daddy aren’t the only ones in their lives. What do you think? Or do you think it’s just in the personality of the child? Nature vs. Nurture?

For now I don’t see anything wrong with my Tinkerbell loving her mommy. Who cares if she doesn’t love the dog park? But I know I will feel differently with a child of my own. I would like to put my order in for a baby who sleeps through the night, doesn’t cry much, and is social and pleasant around other people. What do you think? Who do I put this order in to? God? Right now it’s a moot point, and my Tinkerbell and I will remain partners in crime. What are your thoughts on this?