With the kids out of school for the summer, they might be tempted to lounge around and lose themselves in a game on a screen.  But parents will have a plan!  And it might involve adding some new furry friends to the family.

My girls begged me for weeks for a cat, and I finally caved.  And got two cats.

The girls fell in love with the white cat that we've named Willow, and since she had a tendency to be a little anxious when she was by herself, we decided not only to adopt her but her best buddy too (Toby).  Crazy or genius, you decide.  I'm teetering back and forth.

Toby plays with her and calms her nerves, and they are a happy pair.  But we have two cats!  And two dogs and a fish.  And Mama is not doing all of the chores by herself.

The girls promised they would take care of the cats, and I know what you're thinking, parents, "Yeah, right, that's what they all say."  But so far so good.  The litter boxes are clean, the cats have food and water, and everyone has been playing with shoestrings and feathers instead of with gadgets and screens.  This will be a good summer and I'm sticking to that.

Adopting a pet during the summertime is a total win for parents.  The usual schedule that has gotten us through the school year is blown to bits during the summer, with kids sleeping late some weeks and getting up early for camps during other weeks.  And in that case, we might as well incorporate something new, and we'll have the entire summer to adjust.  Cleaning up poop keeps kids from playing too much Fortnite.

If you're right there with me, the Humane Society's Pets Fur People in Tyler has many pets that need a home like yours.  Many of the cats available are less than a year old, and most of the dogs range in age from a few months to five or six years old.  This is fantastic because you don't have to do some of the initial training that comes with getting a tiny kitten or a young puppy.  The animals have already learned a lot and they just need somewhere to continue to grow, like your place.  With your kids.

The SPCA of East Texas is another spot that has a lot of animals that need homes like yours.

Don't wait till the fall to add the pet! Let's jump on it now and compare notes in August about how it went. It's the perfect time to adopt.

And Fortnite is cool too but after the chores.

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