Parental Consent and the Doggy Door

One aspect of the criticism about the recent Bill Henson photographs involves consent, both underage and parental. A parent’s ability to consent to actions on behalf of their children is not always clear. I had to navigate this tricky issue this week.

On Wednesday, the boys and I set off down the road. I was zipping Leo’s jacket at the front of our house and Henry, as usual, had already run to the corner with King Street. I could see he was talking to a young woman, or really, a young woman was actively talking to him.

Catching up, she asked me if Henry would break into her house for her. She told me that she had locked herself out when getting ready to take her dog for a walk. She had no bag or wallet with her and she lived alone.

The solution to her problem was a bit Dickensian; she wanted a child to climb through the doggy door in her front door, then unlock the main door and let her in. She informed me, with some disappointment, that none of her friends had children so she was canvassing children seemingly on the lam.

Her dog was a Samoyed. In response to my question as to where it was, she replied that it was “in and out” but couldn’t unlock the door. I don’t think she understood my concern as to what a reasonably large, territorial carnivore might do to the low-down-to the-ground face of a four year old boy.

Anyway, she seemed to be in genuine distress.

Henry did not look keen. I was concerned that even if he retained his face he mightn’t be able to unlock the door. We would then all have had to wait for a stronger/taller junior burglar or a locksmith while Henry was trapped with a dog in a unit that may or may not have been the legal home of this strange young woman.

After much reflection, I declined to provide my parental consent. I hope the strange woman found a skinny high school student to assist.

Who is Doctor Dudu?

Instead of telling the same stories of absurdity over and over I will now be a blogger. Monday mornings, you may now expect a web address rather than a talk. Enjoy!