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Do millennials opt for a ‘fur baby’ because they’re broke – or scared of responsibility?
The Guardian ^ | April 19, 2019 | Josie Cox

Posted on 04/19/2019 8:31:03 AM PDT by Stravinsky

About three months after I’d given birth, I was invited to a recently-befriended mum’s house for a gathering of new parents and babies. As my bleary brain tried desperately to remember each adult’s name, and at least the gender of their corresponding tot, I suddenly realised we were one cooing, spewing infant short of a full set. How odd.

Later, as I happened on the lady I’d identified as childless refilling her mug in the kitchen, I inquired about the “little one”, wholly prepared to praise her willingness to leave him or her with someone else at such a young age. The tiny dote, she explained, was indeed with a neighbour. I gave her an encouraging smile. Then she got out her phone and proudly showed me a snapshot of her bundle of joy, on Instagram, of course. Blinking into the sun from the comfort of his very own swaddle, Buster was the smuggest schnauzer I’d ever seen.

Buster, it turns out, was just over two months old – a true “fur baby” in advanced social media parlance – and his doe-eyed owner assured us that she was just as consumed with sleep training and feeding regimes as we were. It was only when chatter turned to nipple cream, and how it serves wonderfully as lip balm, that her contributions to the conversation dried up.

Buster’s owner is among a growing breed of young people opting for pets over kids as the burden of raising a tiny human is losing its appeal for commitment-phobic, cash-strapped, travel-obsessed or simply career-prioritising millennials. Government data published this week shows that, for the first time since the ONS began collecting data, more women are getting pregnant in their 30s than in their 20s.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: granddogs; kids; millennials
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To: KC_Lion

“When people say “You Millennials are ruining the country!”
All I ask is “Who raised them?”

Seems like the only logical response

Anything else is hatred


21 posted on 04/19/2019 8:49:00 AM PDT by stanne
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To: Stravinsky

Hi, Stravinsky-!

While it may seem funny, in a Sad Sack type of way, to laugh at them, I think it’s just one front of a two-sided coin.

The Millennials are also viewing total destruction of the family unit by children making false claims against parents simply because mom or dad puts their foot down and the child doesn’t like it.

Then there’s the almost automatic accusation of child abuse/molestation allegations being thrown around prior to and during divorces.

There’s also the school systems (hey, even private ones are getting a bit wacky!) that are on constant Brain-Wash Mode, pitting children against parents.

I’m in my 60s and I willingly admit that having seen some stuff that would cause me to wonder if having Fur Babies would have been the way to go if I were one of today’s youth....

Yes, I admit there’s a bit of selfishness in the Millennial pattern of thinking; not going to deny that. Just honest enough to see the rational behind their thinking on some points.


22 posted on 04/19/2019 8:49:15 AM PDT by Notthereyet (NotThereYet)
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To: DEPcom

My GSD is 12 years old but she is still puppy to me.


23 posted on 04/19/2019 8:49:25 AM PDT by wally_bert (Disc jockeys are as interchangeable as spark plugs.)
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To: Stravinsky

This has been happening here as well as in the UK.

We know several widows and divorced women, who ended with up dogs or cats instead of remarrying.

Now, even the married millennial couples often have dogs and/or cats instead of kids.

One couple has 5 high energy Brittany Spaniels, which keep the owners in shape just walking them, of course no children.

The family across the street has Grand Great Danes instead of kids.

Single guys and gals often have dogs. It funny to see a 6+’ buffed guy walking a dog smaller than one of his shoes, and petite woman with a large killer breed of dog weighing more than her.

Power to them. Something inside them, may have told them that they would not be good parents for whatever reason.


24 posted on 04/19/2019 8:52:50 AM PDT by Grampa Dave ( AG Barr didnÂ’t defend the President! Barr just reported the findings! President Trump, Not Guilty)
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To: Hemingway's Ghost

The only way that is close to true is if they do NOT perform their responsibility of PROPERLY raising and TRAINING a dog, as few Americans ever have. Then, the dog is a perpetual nuisance who must constantly be supervised for 10 years like a child.

Properly picking and raising a dog is hard work but done seriously, it can all be finished within one year and life can be pleasant and easy.


25 posted on 04/19/2019 8:53:12 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: Stravinsky

Cuz they buy this bullsh** “there are too many people and its destroying the planet” enviromyth.


26 posted on 04/19/2019 8:54:04 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: KC_Lion

I said the same thing about hippies. Who raised them? The so-called later-named Greatest Gen. Via Spock. Lots of those hippies are ultimately responsible for these travesties.


27 posted on 04/19/2019 8:57:14 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: Red Badger

Better than grandmas in their 30s. That is pathetic.


28 posted on 04/19/2019 8:59:22 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVs.)
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To: Stravinsky

I’ve noticed this too but here’s what I think it is. More people PREFER relationships with pets BECAUSE it doesn’t require them to change or grow in any way. When we’re in a relationship with a real person we have to learn to give or take or else our life will be miserable. With a pet there is no give or take. YOU are in charge. YOU are the boss. YOU can do whatever you want and be as nasty and rude as you want and the pet can’t do a darn thing about it.


29 posted on 04/19/2019 9:00:20 AM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: Red Badger
If you were taught commie propaganda for twelve years ...from a bunch of teachers too stupid to teach kids how to read...

Propaganda that the world was going to end because of ‘global warming, peak oil, global freezing, nuclear winter, population bomb, water shortages, pollution ete etc...

...and that if you were WHITE you were killing the planet etc etc etc... the usual liberal bullsh^t

... AND you were told that college was the WAY to success...AND the only crap you were taught in college was Grievance 101 BS by ‘interns’ because the great professors were too busy indulging themselves

... AND if you owed $80,000 in college loans for the privilege of working at some low level job...

then YOU TOO would NOT bring children into the world.

30 posted on 04/19/2019 9:00:21 AM PDT by GOPJ (If illegals voted Republican Pelosi herself would be down at the border laying bricks. freeperbk1000)
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To: Stravinsky

I went to the article just to read the comments ;-)


31 posted on 04/19/2019 9:00:52 AM PDT by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
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To: All
To too many people babies are seen as a burden and not a blessing.

Until that mindset changes the decline will continue.

32 posted on 04/19/2019 9:06:30 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
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To: KC_Lion
"Who raised them?"

The government school system.

33 posted on 04/19/2019 9:07:43 AM PDT by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken<p> that's fore sure)
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To: Red Badger

When the government becomes nanny and the government schools teach the kids the number for a social worker to nark on their folks … and it’s now a social requirement to be a helicopter parent or face accusations of neglect for things that were normal and even fun parts of childhood for us... it is only to be expected that younger people would respond by balking at parenthood and save themselves grief from the government nanny... and the countless social media nannies.

Too bad the nannies are coming for the fur babies next.


34 posted on 04/19/2019 9:08:15 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge.)
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To: Stravinsky

They have been raised to believe the world revolves around them. That belief totally distorts the meaning of responsibility and makes them far too self absorbed to comprehend the value of making another life more important than theirs.

I asked my nephew if he would take a bullet for any of his kids. He responded - absolutely. I said, then you are a parent.


35 posted on 04/19/2019 9:08:33 AM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s........you weren't really there)
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To: Stravinsky

Buster’s owner is among a growing breed of young people opting for pets over kids as the burden of raising a tiny human is losing its appeal for commitment-phobic, cash-strapped, travel-obsessed or simply career-prioritising millennials.

_______________________________________________

I actually have no problem with this. Many people are too stupid to be entrusted with a child.

See recent FR post RE: Charlize Theron.


36 posted on 04/19/2019 9:08:52 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd ( Import the third world and you'll become the third world.)
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To: Stravinsky

This is good news for animal shelter residents. I hope.


37 posted on 04/19/2019 9:12:36 AM PDT by MarMema (breeding tauntauns in northern Michigan - soon to be for sale!)
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To: Lurker51

I got a 8lb mini daschund a few months before my youngest moved out to go “adulting” as they say.

One of the things I liked about him is that he is the size of a new baby (well the size my babies were at birth). He’s dumber than dirt but quite entertaining.

I think it’s weird that a dog owner would go to a new mom’s group, but on the other hand, maybe she desperately wants a real baby but has fertility issues or isn’t married and eschews single parenting. It’s silly to judge people you don’t even know.


38 posted on 04/19/2019 9:14:42 AM PDT by Valpal1
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To: Stravinsky

I dare any of this crowd of selfish over-aged adolescents to expect my grandchildren to fork over more tax money to care for them in their dotage. They should be billed a special tax rate for those without children to care for them when they can’t take care of themselves. That time comes before most are ready for it.


39 posted on 04/19/2019 9:18:34 AM PDT by txrefugee
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To: Innovative

There is nothing wrong with having or adopting a pet.

You can never compare raising a child and having a pet.

However, now that the kids are grown its God’s way of reminding me the love never is lost.

Even through our pets God is teaching us. I love them no matter what they do. They rely on me. And I could never dislike them.

When I have bad outcomes God still loves me.

Happy Easter My Freepers!!!


40 posted on 04/19/2019 9:22:33 AM PDT by Uversabound (Might does not make right, but it does enforce the commonly recognized rights of each succeeding gen)
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