If it's on the Internet

When the Teenager was a preschooler, we went through a period of time during which she was convinced that the one thing in the world that I really needed was a "As Seen on TV" purse.  Every day when she watched her favorite cartoons, she would see advertisements for this purse, and the ads apparently worked well on her.  If she had known how to use a phone and a credit card, she would have called up and ordered me two: one for my birthday, and one for Christmas.

Eventually I told her that not everything on TV is as it appears.  Merchandise might look marvelous on the screen, but for $19.99 (and shipping/handling- and if you buy two you get the second one at half price!) it probably wasn't as good as they claim it is.  I could tell she thought I was being some cynical old fuddy-duddy.  If it's on TV it must be true, right?

Recently, out at the nature preserve, I was hiking and came across a raccoon hanging out at the edge of the river.  I was fortunate to get some really good pictures of this raccoon, and when I downloaded the picture, the Son of Never Stops Eating was entranced by the extreme cuteness that was this particular raccoon.  Raccoons can be adorable, but they can also be mean, and I am more than happy to just take a picture of the raccoon and let him live his raccoon life in the wild.

The Son of Never Stops Eating, however, was convinced that a raccoon would be a great pet. We already have a dog and a hamster, and as far as I am concerned, two pets are enough for the household of No.  I know people have raccoons as pets, but I do not need a pet raccoon. 

At some point he went and looked it up on his iPad and then came to tell me that it was okay to have a raccoon for a pet, other people have raccoons as pets, and therefore we should also get a raccoon. Preferably, the raccoon that I had seen that afternoon.  It would be great if I would go back there, find that raccoon, and bring it home.

"We are not getting a pet raccoon". I said. "No exotic pets in this house".  

"But, Mom!" he protested. "On the internet it says that raccoons make great pets! We should get one!".

"Do you believe everything you see on the internet?" I asked him.  "You can find all kinds of stuff on the internet that isn't true.  Just because you see something on the internet doesn't mean it's a good idea to do it in real life.  A raccoon is not a good idea".

"But Mom! That raccoon is so CUTE! And it says on the internet you can have a raccoon living in your house! Our dog would love a raccoon! They could play together in the back yard!"

"We are not getting a pet raccoon! Final word!"

"But Mom, I thought you were a lover of nature!" 

On my mental list of Important Life Information that I need to pass on to my offspring before they reach adulthood I mentally highlighted these three items for extra reinforcement:

Just because you see it on the Internet doesn't make it true.

Just because you're on the internet and you see or read about someone else doing something, that doesn't mean that you should do it too.

If you want a pet that is not a dog, cat or hamster you can get one (as long as it's legal) after you become an adult, start paying your own bills, and move out of my house and start living in your own house. My house, my rules- no raccoon!



No pet raccoon.  Sorry, kids.