Doggie daycare to the rescue

I just dropped my dog Gracie off at daycare. She whimpered and hid behind me, reluctant to go. “You’ll see your friends. It will be alright,” On the way home I roll down the windows and shout, “I am free. I am free!”

I recall I had the same mixed emotions when I would drop my children off at daycare before going to work. Every time they cried or resisted, I felt like a bad mother.

Those of you who follow my column know it wasn’t long ago (Feb. 14, 2014) when I wrote, “Puppy love is a wonderful thing. Gracie is so cute.”

I thought by now she might be able to play independently. Instead she brings me a half-eaten pink pig every half hour and demands to play tug of war till bedtime. That guttural growl is not cute after 10 minutes.

It reminds me of my friend Helaine whose 2-year-old son was driving her crazy and she phoned me for help.

“Lisa,” she whispered. “I am hiding in my bedroom closet.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“He won’t stop following me around.”

“I’ll be right over,” I said.

“Hurry, please. I can hear him getting closer.”

Pets or children - sometimes we need help. That’s when grandparents can come to the rescue. We remember running out of patience and restaurants holding howling monsters on our hips, amid the icy stare of patrons. We muttered excuses, “She didn’t nap today.” Their expressions say, “Yeah, right. Admit it. You can’t control your own child.”

All summer, I watched the neighbor’s grandchildren play in our pool and was so envious because I wished mine were coming to visit too. Then last week, I received this email from my neighbor Patti:

“Both of my grandsons were here for five days. A toddler and a baby. I had to wet mop every bathroom in my house every day because little boys don’t have very good aim. We used furniture cleaner on the kitchen chairs because the rungs and backs were so sticky after every meal.

“We did laundry every day because we went through so many towels: the ones we took to the pool, the ocean, the ones we used to mop up the baby’s vomit at the dinner table, and their 75 outfits that got ruined with pee, poop, grass stains and blood.

“During a photo session on the front porch steps, Obie, 2 1/2, decided to drop trousers and pee on my hostas in front of everyone.

“After reading 3 or 4 stories to the older one before bed, we both fell asleep. He was cozy with his ‘ta ta’ and I was balled up at the foot of the bed, with my head hanging off.

“But I love those little guys, and if they came back tomorrow, I would gladly do it all over again.”

The lesson: Whether it be pets or babies, we take the kisses with the messes. And the grass stains are always greener on the other side. I hope next summer I get to experience Grandparent Daycare or Sleepover Camp and write about it.

I have a few more hours of freedom before I pick up the beast. I mean cute. Cute little puppy.

Write to Lisa at lgraff1979@gmail.com.