Posts Tagged ‘pets’

Fish Friends

Wednesday, April 19th, 2017

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Jack really wants a pet–especially a dog–but dogs are an additional responsibility that Jack and this family are not ready to take on just yet. Tate would love to have a furry animal too, but he is still happy playing with his stuffed puppy.

My parents visited over Easter and loved the little pond in our backyard. They enjoyed watching and listening to the waterfall. They liked the woodland scenery on our porch. My father thought there were two things missing… fish. I agreed, and think they’re the perfect pet for the boys.

My parents took Jack and Tate to pick out their own Koi fish. Jack’s fish, named Lightning, is white and orange with a hint of light blue. Tate’s fish, named Blackeye, is orange, white and black with a black ring around his eye, hence the name. They are very excited to have their own pets. I hope to teach them some responsibility with these cute little guys.

The fish are still getting acquainted to their new home. They like to hide under the rocks and plants. We were warned about this, but hoped by now they would be swimming all over. We check on them several times a day in hopes to see their beautiful colors. Hopefully in the next few days they’ll feel more comfortable and come up for food.

Puppy Sitters

Wednesday, November 9th, 2016

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
In the last few months, Jack and Tate have been around dogs a lot more. The boys enjoy playing with their friends’ dogs, but Jack shows a special love for dogs each time he interacts with one. Dogs like Jack too, and each time he receives a sloppy dog kiss, he lets me know how much he’d love to have a dog of his own.

One early morning last week, our next-door neighbor frantically texted me, asking if Jack and Tate would be interested in caring for her four-month-old lab puppy, Wilbur, for the weekend. I asked the boys if they would like to help out. Almost immediately, they both shouted, “YES!” Our neighbor was relieved to have our help. We were the fifth person she asked for help. The puppy doesn’t have all her shots to stay at a kennel yet, so her options were limited for her last minute need to leave town.

Our neighbor typed up some simple instructions for the boys to follow and we made sure they understood everything. The puppy lived right next door so she could play in our yard, too.

Jack and Tate loved caring for Wilbur. Although she was a little too “jumpy” for Tate, he still liked playing with her. Jack handled most of the responsibility of feeding her, walking her on her leash and taking her outside for potty breaks. Jack wrestled with her and ended up with a bunch of wet kisses planted on his face. He followed the instructions and used the owner’s guidance for training the dog and words to calm her down.

This was a good test run for the boys. If someday we do decide to add a canine member to our family, the boys know what kind of responsibility it is. Jack admitted it was more work than he realized, but his caring personality really shone throughout the weekend.

Responsibilities

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Jack has been asking to get a pet for quite awhile.  He wants to be in charge of something – like I’m in charge of him.  I told him pets are fun, but also a lot of responsibility.  After months of begging I decided we would use a “pet” as a reward.  The challenge: No potty accidents during the night for an extended period of time.   Jack clearly knew what he had to do to win the reward.  He was successful and earned the right (and responsibility) to own a pet.

So, recently we welcomed a new addition to our family:  Mack, the goldfish.  He is black and has very large eyes.  Jack looked long and hard at the aquarium Mack lived in at the store and felt he was the perfect choice.  Mack’s name was chosen because it rhymed with both his color and Jack’s name. The associate at the store gave us guidelines on how to prepare for owning a goldfish.  The right size tank, the right temperature of water, the right food, etc.

We’ve only had Mack for a short time, and so far Jack is doing a wonderful job keeping him happy.  He remembers to feed him a couple times a day and asks me to help him change his water.  Jack makes sure he is getting enough attention and will tell him Star Wars stories.

I think it’s great Jack has a new companion.  My husband and I wanted to start out with something basic, and maybe someday we’ll own another pet.  For now, Mack makes all of us happy without making a sound.  Cross your fingers Mack lives a long life or we may have a sad owner.