Living in Cork, Ireland has been a great experience so far. It is a cool feeling when you realize that you had forgotten that you are living in a foreign country. Cork isn’t a travel destination anymore, it has become my home. After a weekend away, the sight of the River Lee and the colorful buildings along its banks make me smile.
The exhilarating feeling of being in a foreign country has faded, and I am now able to realize the small peculiarities that surround me. For example, in Cork the sidewalks are dotted with piles of smeared dog poop. Please excuse the grossness of my last sentence, I promise to connect it to my point.
Although I am disgusted by the constant dodging of crap that I have become accustomed too, I do enjoy the wonderful obedience of the dogs that I see. Whether I am walking to class, the market, or my apartment, I am bound to see several dogs and their owners. The neat thing about the dogs in Ireland is that they are for the most part unleashed. The dogs wander ahead of or behind their companions and never seem to cause problems. It is an intriguing sight, as I am pretty sure if I unleashed my dog in a city he would take off like a bat out of hell.
Last month in Spain and a few times throughout my stay in Ireland, I have had the great displeasure of seeing what people will actually leash. LEASHED CHILDREN!!!
Now, I know that kids can be a little rambunctious, but seriously? If you have to leash your kid, you probably shouldn’t have them in public. Has the ability to parent been lost in these people, or are they simply lazy? I am repulsed by the sight of these leashed children. I had seen it back in America, but my disgust has been heightened by the sight of so many unleashed dogs.
What a memory for the children of these ridiculous parents.
Grown Child: “Hey mom, remember the time when we went to the petting zoo and my leash got caught on the gate by the goats!?”
Mom: ”Yeah, it would have been nice if that goat was leashed too, maybe it wouldn’t have bitten you!”
Seeing more leashed children than dogs is not okay!!!
hates
Oh Riley — I hope to change your mind on “child leashes”, you know I am a good mom…………..but I am for the child leashes. Example: At the Zoo with a toddler — strollers are wonderful, but a 1-2yr old can only sit for so long before they need to get out and exercise their legs. Have you ever tried to push an empty stroller while holding the hand of someone so tiny? Been to the Milwaukee Zoo? Can’t tell you how many times last year I saw mom’s with unleashed children pushing their stroller up or down the steep streets there, only to have to let go to chase a toddler (captivated by something so not listening or so many people can’t decipher if their parent yelling or others) and the stroller dangerously flying downhill. I would rather endure the nasty looks than lose my child. I am proud that when my kids were little and I babysat 4 other kids that I took them places instead of them sitting in front of a TV somewhere………… and I never lost one !!!
I guess I am seeing them through a child’s eye still. Maybe I will grow into the idea when I have to handle a kid in public someday.
P.S. I DO know that you are a wonderful mom!!!
Now — if I saw a kid on a leash staked out in someone’s yard, that would be a different story