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A personal pet peeve is ADOPTION:

Started by brwneyedmom, Jan 21, 2008, 05:10:07 PM

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brwneyedmom

I cannot tolerate the word adoption being mis-applied to animals or highway lanes.  I believe that I BUY a pet and adopt children.  I believe that I COMMIT to clean a highway section.  Neither of these situations is necessarily a lifetime commitment.  
I can give away my dog or cat if I develop allergies, or if I just get tired of taking care of them.  I can declare that time constraints prevent me from cleaning up the highway.  But I have a lifetime of devotion and love for my son who WAS adopted at birth.  I have a commitment to him that in no way compares to a dog or cat.  I can't quit when it gets hard.  I can't walk away because I'm busy.  Nor would I want to.
Don't tell me that a dog or cat are just like children to you.  Bull.  They're pets.  
Using the word adoption in relation to buying a dog, cat or other animal cheapens the very personal and meaningful way that I built my family.  

FLMom

I'd argue with you just to get this board going, but too bad I kind of agree with you. Darnit.

MixedBag


Giggles

However, I am of the sort that my "pets" are a lifetime commitment.  I had my Dusty for 18 years and I was deeply affected by her passing.  Some may say she was just a cat, but she was way more than that to me!!  She was my "first born" so to speak, she was my baby and I loved her dearly.

My children and I were talking just last night about adoption, my daughter (8 y/o) had asked what it was about.  I explained to her that often times when people find out that they are going to have a child but know they can't take care of the child, they put them up for adoption because they love them so much that they want to see them have a better life than what they could give them.  To which she replied "I guess you didn't love me that much huh?"  then giggled after...sigh.
Now I'm living....Just another day in Paradise!!

olanna

My daughter is a Vet, and I can tell you that the word adoption isn't placed on a pet in that manner.  The word was put there to encourage people to feel a sense of responsibility to a loving animal companion.  It was a buzzword.

And, I have animals I didn't adopt. They adopted me.  They are my cats and dog and I am their human.

They only have a finite number of years with us.  I lost my cat, Carmel of 14 years, and it felt like a family member died.  I still get teary when I think about him, just like everyone else in my family does.  

No my animals are not my children. But there is a relationship that is close and loving and caring.

gemini3

>I cannot tolerate the word adoption being mis-applied to
>animals or highway lanes.  I believe that I BUY a pet and
>adopt children.  I believe that I COMMIT to clean a highway
>section.  Neither of these situations is necessarily a
>lifetime commitment.  
>I can give away my dog or cat if I develop allergies, or if I
>just get tired of taking care of them.  I can declare that
>time constraints prevent me from cleaning up the highway.  But
>I have a lifetime of devotion and love for my son who WAS
>adopted at birth.  I have a commitment to him that in no way
>compares to a dog or cat.  I can't quit when it gets hard.  I
>can't walk away because I'm busy.  Nor would I want to.
>Don't tell me that a dog or cat are just like children to you.
> Bull.  They're pets.  
>Using the word adoption in relation to buying a dog, cat or
>other animal cheapens the very personal and meaningful way
>that I built my family.  

The dictionary defines adoption as:transitive verb
1: to take by choice into a relationship; especially : to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) as one's own child
2: to take up and practice or use
3: to accept formally and put into effect
4: to choose (a textbook) for required study in a course

So, while I hear what bothers you, maybe you have it backwards.  That word has been around for hundreds of years.  Maybe we should have a more meaningful word for the adoption of children?