Think before responding to this.

I always wanted both and since my kids are gorwn now I have pets lots and lots of pets

Well, you can put an animal in a cage without raising eyebrows, so that's one plus.

But nothing compares to your child saying "mama".

Well, I have a friend who likes to remind me that "A dog is a two year old that never gets older than two." It will never outgrow having accidents on the carpet, eating food (and whatever else) off the floor), knocking things over, refusing to adapt to your sleep schedule, etc.

On the other hand, dogs don't beg for $600 PS3 systems...

Lol, I love the comments. I will not answer since I have both.

I have had both and I would definitely have my children again.

My kids.

Thank you for your truthful answers. I guess I stand alone.

I'm glad I have both right now...but who knows if they ever cause lots of trouble!

if i had to choose it would be my kids......hands down

Not that I don't want kids later, but if I had to choose right now it would be a pet.

Thank you for sharing my dear friends. I'm with you Laura.

"Well, you can put an animal in a cage without raising eyebrows, so that's one plus."

ha ha ha

Seriously though, I think you get out of any relationship what you put into it. There is no love that can compare with the love of a child, but the same can be said about the love of a special animal in our life. Relationships between people however are far more complex, take more effort, and are susceptible to outside influences.

Sis, I of all people understand why you feel the way you do, and the pain that you have had to endure, and I am so sorry for all of that, you have had to go through much more than any one person should have to, but darlin it really isn't the norm. There really are a lot of good kids out there that grow up to love and respect their parents. There are always the exceptions of course and now that kids are able to take their parents to court over being punished, which is like putting handcuffs on parents, who by the way are responsible for everything they do, the respect is starting to get harder and harder to accomplish through the years. I mean why should they do anything that their parents tell them ? All they have to do is threaten to report parent abuse and the parents are helpless! It doesn't make sense, but that is what we have become! I just don't know how we ever got through childhood, as we got a swat on the behind if we needed it and I still love and respect our parents and knew that I deserved it too!

I loved bringing my son up and so happy to have him in my life,and enjoying watching how he brings up my two grandsons, which are wonderful boys, but now that I am getting older, I just don't have the energy to keep up with children 24 7, so I will stick to my furry babies now :)

I am quite happy with my pets right now, but I do want to have children at some point.

I'm happy with pets. I am too old for a baby.

well i have a pet, i dont think im ready for a child yet!

Hi M and M. How was your Mother's Day? Great, I hope. I would rather have a child any day! Pets are okay, but that's all they would be. Besides, pets are usually for those who prefer not to have children. Don't you think so?

For now, neither. My kids are grown and I'm not ready to take on the commitment a pet requires.

I have both. Each offer something the other cannot.

However, nothing will ever be more wonderful than Gideon.

Well, 'baby time' passed me by and I didn't have children. It's along story, but that's how it worked out. Yes, I regret not having babies. So now I have a dog and The Cats. But my mainstay will always be my human friends, who take me through everything.

I love my babies

I wouldn't trade my son for anything. I've loved my animals too and they have always been part of our family, but not like a child.

a pet rock

I've had 6 kids and they are grown, so now I enjoy having pets.

I'm not sure ... But I'm content with just pets right now.

I'd go for a feral child. Best of both worlds.

I have been thinking a great deal about this question lately. Children absolutely adore me, even babies. I have helped to raise a number of them, so I do know what it takes, from the newborn on.

Cats like me, too, even when I tell the cats to get lost. They do not pay me a bit of attention; it is annoying.

However, this one is a no-brainer:Children.

For years we told our daughter that she was the best pet we'd ever had.


It was a reference to a book called "Your Pet Gorilla."

We've had expensive pet medical stuff but kids cost lots more than that. :)