by Bobbie
Hi everybody. These are some crazy times for our family right now so Brian asked me to step in and give my thoughts this week. As a parent of Dylan and Jolee, wife to Brian and pet owner to our dog, Junior, I often feel like I am juggling many balls all day, every day. This includes appointments, transportation, medication, paying bills, making sure food is available and the list goes on and on. Exiting the Nest is all about helping our kids learn independence and gain confidence in themselves which in turn will remove some of their responsibilities from Brian and my shoulders. What I didn’t expect was that they would also be able to take on some of our responsibilities at times.
It started in March. I scheduled time to visit my sister in Florida for two whole weeks! Unfortunately, I did not select the best timing for this visit. Brian was ending a project and transitioning positions within his company. This meant he was swamped and not always able to take over my responsibilities easily. To help her dad, Jolee came to our apartment and walked the dog every afternoon so Brian could take work calls. This would have been an easy job if Junior liked other dogs or if we lived in a less dog-populated apartment complex. We have found that you must be very vigilant to watch for other dogs and plan alternate routes if other dogs are around. After a few trial walks to explain the best procedures for any possible contingencies with our feisty pet, Jolee did a fabulous job and made it possible for Brian to complete his job uninterrupted.
This month, we have started to make weekly trips to Wisconsin. Junior has been a horrible traveler in the past: he could not even make it a couple miles from home without getting sick in the car. Since it would not be cost effective or fair to board Junior that often, we had to come up with another solution. I truly believed that I would have to sedate Junior to get him to Wisconsin safely, but decided to let the kids work to keep him calm in the car first. On our first trip, we created a nest of blankets on the back seat and bought him a doggie seatbelt that kept him from looking out the windows. Dylan sat next to him to pet and calm him any time Junior became agitated. It was incredible! After 10 minutes, Junior lay calmly and rested the whole way. We have since made this trip numerous times and the kids are always quick to take over caring for Junior so I can concentrate on driving.
There also have been a few times that the kids chose to remain at their apartment while Brian and I traveled to Wisconsin. On these weekends, Jolee has taken over the care of Junior including feeding, walking, and giving medication. Dylan has also stepped up and gone with Jolee and Junior for the nighttime walks to ensure everyone’s safety. I could not be more proud of Dylan and Jolee’s growth and independence. I am also thankful for their willingness to step in to help their parents carry the responsibilities when life gives us a curveball.