It’s the first time my daughter, Kylie, is allowed to have our dog in her room. It may seem silly that this is a big deal to her. But, she is only three and the dog is a Siberian Husky who weighs around seventy pounds and who is blind in one eye. So you can see why I would have reservations about him sleeping in her room. She is so very proud of herself, as am I.
“No, Jack! Stay!” She bravely commands in her squeaky little voice. “Please stay. Don’t move. Good boy. Thank you Jackie.”
I smile from the couch in the living room where she cannot see me. She is so brave with such a big dog. I am, in that moment, not just proud of her bravery, but also that Jack actually listened. They are a good team.
“Mommy, I am… I am going to sleep on the floor.” She announces as she runs out of her room.
“Why would you want to do that?” I ask.
“Because…” She starts, “Because Jack will sleep on the bed, and I will sleep on the floor. Is this good?” She asks.
“Sure, Why not?” I say to a suddenly beaming three year old. and I watch as she trots off with her pony tail bouncing behind her.
“Okay Jackie, you stay there.” She says sweetly to the dog, as if they were little friends having a slumber party.
I can hear her rustling around and just chatting away, one-sided, with Jack, when I hear the little thumps of her feet running out of her room. Then, she appears in the doorway to the hall.
“Actually Mommy, I don’t want to sleep on the floor.” She says, convinced that her plan was not suitable for her own living standards.
“Well, where will Jack sleep?” I ask.
“Well, he will sleep on the floor, and I will sleep on the bed.” She says.
“Okay baby. You do that.” I smile at her lovingly as she yells “Thanks Mom!” over her shoulder.
A couple of seconds pass as I wait for the inevitable.
“Get down Jackie.” She sternly commands. “Jackie, get down.”
I can just picture her in there, pointing at the ground and making kissy sounds at him.
“Jackie! No!” She screams. I hear the thump followed by fake sobs and a spastic Jack.
I know instantly what happened, although I am sure Kylie does not fully understand. She pulled him off of the bed by the collar. When he did not know what to do, because Jack being a dog only speaks dog and some English commands, had a panic attack from being drug off the bed that he knows better than to sleep on and bolted for the nearest exit.
Kylie is still sobbing, and suddenly emerges from the hallway once more.
“Great nap.” I think to myself as I struggle to fight back laughter.
“Jack wont stay in my room!” She cries at me, the ”judge”. Kylie is so appalled by Jacks rudeness and now she wants justice.
“Why don’t you both sleep together on the bed?” I ask as though it wasn’t the obvious solution.
“Because he is so big and I would kick him.” She says. My daughter the humanitarian did not want to hurt the dog.
“Okay then. Why don’t you go take your nap and when you wake up, you can play with Jack again.” I suggest, just wanting Kylie to take a nap already!
“Okay Mommy. I will not argue with you.” She says and she gives me a hug and a kiss before walking slowly off to her bedroom for her much needed nap.
