Influence and Dog Poop

I know I don't have a dog, but I'll get to that in a bit.

My fears of peer influence are starting to come to fruition. Cristian has been talking about super heroes alot lately. We don't watch or chat about them at home. His best buddy at school has been teaching him about all the major heroes and how they fight the bad guys. No harm done really, but I hate that he is learning things that I didn't 'approve'. This is the internal struggle that kills me the most. My plan for my life has changed so much over the years. I never put much thought into homeschool etc...until I had children. Now, I am so disappointed that I wasn't properly prepared so that I could have stayed home with Cristian. I love his teachers and have been happy with the schools he has attended...but leaving him open to influence at this young age bothers me. I know I can't protect him from the world...but at almost 4 years old I would like to protect him a little while longer. At least until his emotions and brain are mature enough to comprehend some of the craziness of this world.

Yes, it is just super heroes...but right now it feels like so much of a bigger deal.

So...dog poop. I live in an apartment complex that is filled dog owners and their dogs. There are no weight restrictions here, which means you get some pretty large piles. There are plenty of disposal areas stocked with little green bags, but poop has kind of been an issue since we moved it. A few months after we got here a flyer was placed on our doors about fines etc from not picking up poop. Things have gotten better, but occasionally I still see some here and there. Yesterday, Cristian and I were swinging on the playground right outside our front door (our unit looks out over the playground and the pool...so convienient) and I noticed a man and his dog. We live near an Airforce base and a big Military Hospital, so we have lots of Military familes in our complex. The guy out with his dog was in a wheel chair, missing both of his legs from the knee down. I've seen him before, but I didn't know he had a dog. He drives a beautiful black Cadillac CTS and he gives me the little two finger wave from the steering wheel when we pass leaving or arriving...I guess because we both have Cadillacs. Anyway, I watched him and his dog and then they went back into their unit...and it dawned on me. There are several wounded warriors living here and maybe that is part of the poop problem. I mean, how would he pick-up poop? Well, I guess he could use one of those claw things, but then what...put the poop-filled claw on his lap while he wheels over to the trash? Seriously? Not on my watch. So, I did what any proper citizen would do. After our playtime, I went back outside armed with a baggie and picked up his dog's poop. It was disgusting and totally part of the reason I don't have a dog. But, I would do it again.

Living in this complex has given me several opportunities to explain sacrifice to Cristian. I don't use the word 'war', but we do talk about how the soldiers protect us from the bad guys. He knows the big red Hospital is where the doctors help the soldiers when they get sick or hurt. He thinks wheel chairs and prosthetic legs are really cool...which I love, because they are. Giving freedom back to those that have fought for ours.