Parenting is a big question mark for many people. Where did you learn the skills, where did you succeed or fail, and what might you do over? For some, would you even do it again?
I fell into parenting, not with human children, but with a cat. I was only responsible for myself, lived alone for the most part, and had lots of issues just accepting responsibility for me. At this point, a grey kitten marched over to me in the street one day in Ottawa, climbed to the top of my head, and claimed me as his property. Of course, I took him home “just of the evening.”
He was soon named Clancy, had run off the house, and was a terrible brat. Over the years, this tough little Canadian cat taught me a lot about love, loyalty, and responsibility. Of necessity, he traveled over much of Canada and parts of the United States. What did I carry? Three things: my pack, guitar, and the cat carrying case. With him as a traveling companion, there were no issues getting rides. Needless to say, he was an inimitable and fearsome companion. One time, I was attacked in front of our woodcarving studio, and he lept into the fight to attack the second attacker. After driving them off, we stood in the doorway – I was armed with a dagger, but I swear the second guy was telling his buddy that he wanted nothing more to do with that freaking monster.
He earned the title of Grey Menace.
So, parenting skills? Sure. He depended upon me for food, shelter, love, guidance, and restraint. I learned all the skills that I did not have through necessity. I also had to learn how to plead, coddle, and encourage good behavior.
His taste in girlfriends was impeccable for me. I had very bad taste. In his final years, he persuaded me that one girl was the one. She became the mother he had not had and eventually the mother of our four other children.
Parenting is where you find it; many of us have to start small and develop the needed skills.
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I love these stories of the Grey Menace. He was a cutie!
while he was very handsome, “cute” was not one of the common descriptors…he preferred FEARED.
Oh Clancy! I’ve thought a lot about parenting over the years with all the animals I’ve “parented.” I had no training for parenting small humans. I needed too much myself and I was aware of this on some level. I had part-time parenting responsibility for three kids. I did OK with one of them. I don’t think that’s so bad. With step-kids and nieces part of it is their willingness to BE parented and how well you mesh as people. I could not have raised children. I always knew it. I had the honor and pleasure to be the “other adult” in the lives of many kids and that was incredible, awesome, beautiful.
Yup, not all parenting experiences are the same.
My dogs have done a pretty good job raising me.
Yeah, cats and dogs can do that.
Aww, Clancy! I didn’t know the story of how he came to, nor that you’d gone on a road trip with him, nor that he’d attacked your attacker! The burglar story will forever be my favourite though. What a boy he was.
He was unique. And he knew it…Louis and Clancy would have been a very dangerous duo!
Seeing them together would’ve been hilarious. They would’ve looked like Africa and Madagascar with their size difference!