December 8. Day 342. Working with children and animals

So some smarty pants once said you should never work with children or animals. I actually feel very sad for people who believe this but also just a little bit jealous. Let me explain myself. There is something really, really special about the approach both children and animals have to the world. They have a great sense of fun, a real joy for life, a quest to learn new things and boundless energy. Yep, harnessing all that can be challenging but the rewards are worth it. Look at the joy on the faces of both my Fur Friend Rumple and his new buddy Charlotte in the park today. Charlotte is the daughter of a work colleague had she has a joyous free spirit. I popped round to visit Charlotte's family today because her mum had been injured in a car accident.

We all spent an hour or so playing in the park and Charlotte decided to help with Rumple's trick training.  It was such a delight watching the two of them. Why wouldn't you want to work with that? I'm sure we all felt far better for having the fun in the sun.

Which leads me to why I feel a bit jealous of those who think working with children and animals is a burden to be avoided at all costs. I can only assume that people who find kids and animals "difficult" to work with have only even encountered working adults who are more energetic, more free thinking, more rational and fair minded and kind and reasonable than dogs and kids. Yes, children and animals can be unpredictable and stubborn and selfish and inclined to the odd temper tantrum but I have worked with adults who display the same personality traits even though they should be old enough to know better. More disturbingly their rewards are normally far greater than the odd Schmacko or sweet. Quite frankly, sometimes working with children and animals is a walk in the park.