No Pets Allowed       

My children make this request so often that it’s now part of the perpetual soundtrack of my life, which includes other top hits such as, “I don’t want to go to school today,” and “It’s not fair that (insert friend’s name) is allowed to play outside when it’s dark and we have to come in!”

I remember my mother’s response when my siblings asked for a dog. She told us that she wished we could get one, but unfortunately, she’s very allergic to dogs.

Well.

No one’s going to argue with a legitimate allergy. It was a tough pill to swallow but resilient children that we were, we survived the disappointment.

Now when my children try their luck, I look them in the eye and gently say, “I wish we could get a dog, but unfortunately we can’t because Bobbi is very allergic.”