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Originally Posted by sweetpea
I am going to echo this.  Unless the allergies are truly affecting quality of life of the child, i say keep the cats. My parents knew i was allergic to our cats and yet i insisted we keep them because they brought so much to my life and now as an adult, i am still allergic and have cats of my own
Sweetpea |
How do you define "truly affecting quality of life of the child?"
For any considering subjecting a child to such treatment, here's an idea--find a plant that you're allergic to (unless you're one of the lucky ones that aren't allergic to anything--and I'm jealous!). Put it in your bedroom and another in your living area. Instead of ridding the house of the irritant, just treat the symptoms and deal with it. It makes sense that someone that is consciously subjecting another human being to a source of allergic reactions should go through the same thing. You can sniffle and sneeze together, have the same sinus headaches together, dry each other's watery eyes, take the medication and maybe even the shots together--but none of those should affect your "quality of life," right?
The difference is you have a choice--a three year old doesn't. A teenager is borderline about having the maturity to make such choices. That's why the parents are supposed to be the adults--and all that encompasses. An animal that is there to add enjoyment to a household stops serving that purpose when one is made miserable or uncomfortable with it being there. Only a truly selfish person would put his desire to have a pet above the best interests of the health of his child.
The concept of caring about children first and ourselves second really isn't that hard to grasp.