Go Fish! And Other “Teaching Moments”
Nov. 27th, 2006 03:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseSome friends of ours decided that they were going to get rid of their fish tank, and, thanks to my three-year old budding biologist, they thought of us. We said “yes,” of course. I have always had a secret yen for fish, even though I’ve never owned one (outside of that unfortunate who came home with me from the county fair one year.)
Being Parents, Shawn and I decided that this whole fish thing would also make a good “teaching moment.” So, we took Mason out to PetSmart and bought a Aquariums for Dummies and a book about the care and feeding of goldfish. Since then, we’ve been very carefully following the directions. We set up our “environment,” added the water (some biological agent to start the growth of beneficial bacterial), some living plants (researched extensively to find out if they and goldfish and our lighting were compatible) and are now “conditioning” our tank – which is to say, we’re waiting two to three weeks before introducing the fish.
Keep in mind that our fish are going to be “comet” goldfish, which cost 12 cents a piece.
Why not just dump the suckers in? Because, grasshopper, we’re trying to teach patience and a respect for life and, oh, yeah, the importance of following directions. Is Mason even paying attention? I doubt it. He’s actually pretty happy just watching the plants wave around in there. Me? I don’t think I can stand the wait!!!
Don’t you hate when your parenting moments come back and bite you in the butt?
Being Parents, Shawn and I decided that this whole fish thing would also make a good “teaching moment.” So, we took Mason out to PetSmart and bought a Aquariums for Dummies and a book about the care and feeding of goldfish. Since then, we’ve been very carefully following the directions. We set up our “environment,” added the water (some biological agent to start the growth of beneficial bacterial), some living plants (researched extensively to find out if they and goldfish and our lighting were compatible) and are now “conditioning” our tank – which is to say, we’re waiting two to three weeks before introducing the fish.
Keep in mind that our fish are going to be “comet” goldfish, which cost 12 cents a piece.
Why not just dump the suckers in? Because, grasshopper, we’re trying to teach patience and a respect for life and, oh, yeah, the importance of following directions. Is Mason even paying attention? I doubt it. He’s actually pretty happy just watching the plants wave around in there. Me? I don’t think I can stand the wait!!!
Don’t you hate when your parenting moments come back and bite you in the butt?
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Date: 2006-11-28 01:06 am (UTC)Hope the wait is worthwhile and you and your fishes enjoy their new conditioned home.
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Date: 2006-11-28 03:16 pm (UTC)Oh, and we woke up this morning to discover we had a stow-away. A snail, which probably hitched a ride with one of our aquatic plants was spotted sliming around the tank by Mason.
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Date: 2006-11-28 04:54 pm (UTC):-)
I think I must've passed out (I stop breathing when my throat swells shut) after eating a tuna casserole once.
I'm only allergic to eating fish, but I was once out on a research boat and got stuck by the spines of a robin fish and had an allergic attack, so... I decided it was a good idea to consider other career choices.