In parenting we sometimes encounter storms. Some come upon us suddenly without warning. Others give us advance notice. I live in Florida. It’s the middle of summer and we’re getting lots of rain almost every day. There’s nothing I can do to keep it away, or lessen its turbulence. Sometimes it’s a torrential downpour that feels a little like a hurricane. Strong winds, heavy rain, thunder and lightning. Whew!

It can be rather frightening at times. The sky grows dark and foreboding, palm trees bend under the force of the wind, often leaving behind a lot of debris to pick up later.

Our son has a cute little dog; a Yorkshire Terrier. Pebbles is her name. She’s adorable. There’s just one thing; she’s petrified of storms. She freaks out, runs around panting heavily in a state of panic. Eventually, she  finds a throw rug to pee on, then hides in…