Transparency Tuesday: Traumatizing experiences...

So... a couple of weeks ago my two boys went through a very scary experience... they got chased by dogs.

Now. 

The backstory: we were walking to school-- our normal route, and we were passing by a house with an orange door. It opened, and the minute it opened two big dogs came running out, no leashes, just wild and free. Where was the owner? Had not even stepped out of the door yet. The minute the dogs ran out of the house, my boys ran for dear life, because as much as they like watching dogs on TV and have toy dogs and such.. real live dogs they are absolutely terrified.

Jeremiah was so afraid he ran into the road!

I screamed for dear life and grabbed him and Matthew-- I then saw the owner running after the dogs, no shoes on and in shorts and scooped up the dogs in his arms.

He then spoke to my boys and said that they shouldn't have ran, they're babies.. if they see you run they'll think you're playing etc etc.

From that day.. this went on for about a week-- everytime they saw a dog, they would literally run for dear life, Jeremiah would shout 'No' and run in the road..

Oh my God I felt for them.. but the dogs that we were seeing were on their leashes and walking with their owners!

So what did I do? First.. I kept telling them the dogs will not hurt you, and you don't need to run. Then I said the next time we see a dog, Mummy is going to go up to it and pet it-- because they are not scary!

So the following week I said to the boys, when we see a dog you can say 'Hi dog," and "bye dog" they are not scary.

I didn't end up petting a dog though.. but now they aren't running for dear life and now are even willing to go near a dog now.. just by me saying what I said.

It just goes to show how much impact we have on our kids as parents..

Oh my goodness.. what an experience.