Speaking as a parent, I scowl and boo at the either soon-to-be or new parents that think their pets are suddenly disposable because there is going to be a baby in the house.

There is no reason that kids and pets cannot live in harmony, however, I've read on more than one occasion where parents have either dumped their pets off somewhere or have banned them to live outside because of the fur and "mess' they make.

I find this bizarre as prior to having children, it was perfectly acceptable to have alittle dog drool on the coffee table, or tumble weeds of cat fuzz blowing across ther room, but once the kid comes, POOF the once loved companions are treated like yesterdays trash.

Its really irratating! I have allergies as does my son. It hasn't kept us from owning pets. My son has been sick since school started but it isn't because of our pets, its from all his classmates that don't seem to know the working end of soap and hotwater. Proper hygiene in school? What a concept. And how about them parents that knowingly send their kids to school while they are sick? I'm really impressed with those people. Not!

What gets me even more is the parents that you speak of that sterilize everything, they'll leave a bucket of diapers that need to be washed in reach of their toddlers. If that isn't gross, I don't know what is. In keeping in the theme of nasty diapers, I won't discuss all the nasty bacteria that is often left behind in the washing machine after these said diapers went in to be washed.

So really, are the enviroments of these parents all that sterile? No, they just like to think so because of the lack of dog fur on the rug. Personally I'd rather have dog fur on the floor than have to contend with the smell of any Diaper Genie any day.

Miryiam: I've got another post coming up about that. Stay tuned.