Wrecking our car that day to save a groundhog's life would have made me a hero in the eyes of my youngest child. Avoiding an accident at the expense of a groundhog's demise, however, put me in league with Cruella De Vil. Raising a child with strong convictions brings an interesting dimension to mothering. Anger sparked by a fifth grade teacher's hunting stories, however, had to be defused at home. At her current age of 13, my daughter is more militant in her convictions.
Grandmothers believe in protein.
Wearing my mangy old fur is forbidden in spite of assuring our household animal rights advocate that whatever animals sacrificed lives for that coat would have died of natural causes long before my husband surprised me by purchasing it in a vintage clothing store. Grocery lists are scrutinized for name brands cited in a c1assmate's report on animal testing. Any trip to the grocery store holds potential for becoming a forum on the commercial world's unkindness to animals. That health and beauty products which are not tested on animals are often more expensive than those that are is not a consideration. Ironically, a beloved family pet presents the double-edged sword in my daughter's battle for animal rights.