How being a fur mom taught me about life and the real world
Being a fur mom has been an adventure. Every morning, I’m awakened and welcomed by three smooshed faces who are always hungry. My days end with the three of them curled up in a fluffy ball — snoring peacefully. These are my three dogs, and there’s one more on the way. My house has witnessed many fur babies who eventually crossed the rainbow bridge. But it’s my two English Bulldogs and Frenchie who taught me to take fur parenting seriously. And it’s tough. There are moments where you feel like you’re done with your fur babies’ endless shenanigans.
It’s tough to take care of three dogs. There are moments when you’re done with your fur babies’ endless shenanigans. But it’s life-changing. Even if I don’t want to have kids anytime soon, here are some of the lessons I’ve picked up from the experience.
MANAGE YOUR TIME WISELY
Dogs crave your love and attention. You might be busy with your everyday tasks but you can’t leave them behind.
Being a fur mom is about managing your time wisely. Being overwhelmed with work or school is not an excuse to neglect your dog’s needs. You need to set aside a few hours of your day to give them food, water, playtime, cuddles and more.
Schedule your dog’s mealtime accordingly so you can adjust it to your schedule. If you’re looking for an energizer, spend time with your fur baby. He or she will love to shower you with kisses.
BUDGET YOUR MONEY
As a fur mom, it’s not just about you anymore; it’s about you and your fur baby (or more). Before adopting or buying a dog, make sure you have the budget to do so.
A dog needs food, water, shelter, regular vet checkups and toys, among others. It means that owning a fur baby or other pets is a financial responsibility. Ever heard of the jokes about your suweldo going to your dog? It’s true.
BE PATIENT
Behind your dog’s adorable face lies a (somewhat) pesky side. There are moments where your fur baby will mess up your room, ruin your valuables, or poop around the house. They will be guilty, and there’s 100 percent chance that they’ll do it again. Having a fur baby will test your patience. Even if you feel like screaming or locking them up to teach a lesson, this doesn’t work. These “discipline methods” might unknowingly hurt them. Be patient in teaching your dog what’s right and wrong. Start by using positive reinforcement like treats and work your way from there.
PROBLEMS ARE NOT SOLVED THROUGH FORCE
Hitting or spanking can affect your relationship with your fur baby. Contrary to what some dog owners believe, it’s a form of punishment. There are many ways to encourage good behavior in your pooch.
As a fur mom, this is related to being patient when it comes to interacting with your dog. This can be applied to life as well. If you’re experiencing problems, harsh methods don’t help. It’s better to solve things one step at a time.
LOVE IS EXPRESSED THROUGH ACTIONS, TOO
For humans, showing your love through words is one of our languages. Dogs cannot communicate like people, but they express their love in their own way.
Dogs show their affection through licking your face, lying on their back for belly rubs, giving you their favorite toy, leaning, and so much more. I don’t express my feelings well but my dogs taught me that I should find my love language.
IT DOESN’T HURT TO TAKE A BREAK
One of the main reasons why dogs are well-loved is because of their easygoing nature. Even if times are tough, you can ensure that they’ll stay by your side to express their support.
Since dogs can sense stress, they make sure their hoomans are okay. They give hugs, slobber you with kisses, and so on. At the same time, they invite you to play or join them on walks — which is considered a break.
It’s understandable if you have a busy day. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t spare a few minutes for yourself and your fur baby. Take time to breathe; you deserve it.
Being a fur mom to three adorable dogs is fulfilling. If you look past your doggo’s cuteness, there are a lot of life lessons that you can gain from them. It’s, indeed, hard work to raise a fur baby, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
Being a fur mom to three adorable dogs is fulfilling. If you look past your doggo’s cuteness, there are a lot of life lessons that you can gain from them.
The past year has taught everyone how important human connection is. Showing appreciation for our loved ones, whether virtually or physically, plays a big part in maintaining relationships despite the distance we’ve grown accustomed to.
This Mother’s Day, it’s time to thank Mom for all that she does and celebrate all that she is. Rockwell has come up with meaningful ways for the community to pay tribute to the most special woman in our lives, safely, through thoughtful gifting and delightful dining experiences at their Mother’s Day festivities until May 9.
It’s not a Rockwell Mother’s Day celebration without the much-anticipated annual Flower & Gift Fair. Shower Mom with the freshest floral bouquets and the lushest arrangements from brands Designer Blooms, Petalier, and Flowers by Roger Acierda. Go beyond the bouquet and bundle these flowers with the finest accessories from Amaani and Heart Factory, or even creatively and locally designed fans from Casa Mercedes.
Plan a lovely lunch at Rockwell Goes Streetside, Power Plant Mall’s daily outdoor dining destination along Lopez Drive and One Rockwell. Customers from San Juan can also relish the authentic cuisines of the restaurants at Santolan Town Plaza.
Those who prefer to stay home can still shop the Rockwell way, through Power Plant Mall’s e-commerce website, Shop. TheRockwellist.com. Get Mom something thoughtfully put together, with curated gift boxes including flower arrangements, a sweet cacao spread from 1919 Chocolate, and fresh produce from the Fruit Stand by Rockwell.
Unique artisanal finds from ArteFino’s exclusive summer collection can also be purchased on the site. Their pop-up will also have a physical counterpart at the R1 Level, Lifestyle Hall.
The Rockwellist Tote promo will also have its run this May. Shoppers who reach a minimum amount of P 3,000 can get a free limited-edition tote.
Parking will be until May 9, so download The Rockwellist mobile app for a completely safe and fuss-free shopping experience this Mother’s Day.
Learn more on TheRockwellist.com or Power Plant Mall’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
Mother’s Day is here and the I Love Mom Movement is once again encouraging everyone to show our love and appreciation to our mothers despite the lingering pandemic.
“We encourage all Filipinos to continue to honor mothers in new, meaningful and innovative ways,” exhorts Samie Lim, who initiated the movement together with some friends. “This is the second year that we will be celebrating Mother’s Day in lockdown but I hope that, just like last year, we will not let these challenges stifle the many ways we can show our mothers how much they mean to us.”
He invites everyone to fill cyberspace with messages of love for their mothers in the form of pictures, videos, quotations, or even personal experiences.
Many people may not know this, but Mother’s Day in the Philippines used to be celebrated in December ever since the American colonial period, with the then Bureau of Education in charge of the celebration. But since May is school break here, it was decided to hold Mother’s Day in May instead.
The I Love Mom Movement was founded in 1980 so that the Philippines would celebrate this special occasion on the same day it is celebrated in most parts of the globe. It was not simply because Lim wanted to copy how the Americans were celebrating the holiday, but because he saw that there were many Filipino mothers working overseas who felt left out when Mother’s Day was celebrated.
Lim always had a soft spot for mothers because of how he experienced the proverbial mother’s love from his own mom, his wife, sisters and countless others. He says another reason is that as a young human-resource manager of the family business, he noticed that employees who were problematic and unproductive had family-related issues, particularly a communication gap with their parents and children. He believed that this could be addressed by bridging this communication gap, hence the I Love Mom Movement.
He also how while attending a spiritual retreat, one attendee during the sharing portion wept profusely as he lamented how he could no longer express his love to his mother, who had already passed. “Very often, it is easy for us to take for granted the people who are always there for us and these are our mothers,” he said. “That is why we started this movement so that we will always remember to keep rekindling our love for our mothers.”
Lim found an ally in the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, whom he approached to seek advice on the matter. During the meeting he noticed that the late cardinal’s desk was covered with books about Mary, which he found fortuitous because May is also the Month of Mary, or MOM. Since then the movement has grown to a community of about 50,000.
Anyone can share messages, photos and videos with the I Love Mom Movement at https://www.facebook.com/ilovemommovement and https://www.instagram.com/ilovemommovementph .