Parents today often implement chore charts for their children, offering them the opportunity to learn responsibility, pride in their work and the feeling of being a contributing member of the household. My kid is more of an I-make-the-mess-around-here kind of participant in the running of our home but trust me when I say the role he plays is significant.
Although I cannot expect any housework from Piper, we are introducing this board to track his progress in the area “No Bite!” area. When we first brought Piper home from the rescue, he challenged us. He was defensive and sometimes aggressive. I went to work most days with a new crescent-shaped bite mark all parronts are familiar with on my finger. But over time he began to trust us and the Softer Side of Piper emerged.
He rarely bites now and if he does it’s more his way of telling us he doesn’t want whatever it is we are offering: food, a finger, a toy, and not a blatant attack. I can’t tell you the last time he broke skin but I can tell you that every day over the last four years there has been cuddle time. He does have his beak moments and if he’s on my shoulder and my ear is exposed he does like to take a nip. Those are the times a zero will go back to the chalkboard.
My spunky conure was afraid of his new report card and yet he didn’t try to bite it when I showed it to him and tried to take this picture. He did what all mommies want their child to,do when faced with the opportunity to fight: he walked away. My little boy is growing up. And I don’t have the scars to prove it.