Start with Just One Fish from Petsmart

This is a sponsored post by PetSmart and these opinions are 100% my own.

A child needs a pet. Do you hear this phrase all the time?

I wasn’t so sure I agreed with that statement until recently. I have learned in a very short time that even a simple pet like one fish teaches a world of responsibility and caring!

We headed to PetSmart recently to help P’Diddy pick out his very own fish. On the way there, we explained to him that he could name him, feed him two times daily, and HE was the boss of the fish. Mom and dad were there to help him when he needed it, but it was his turn to be the caregiver.

PetSmart had a great variety of fish to choose from! Tanks, fish and accessories galore! It was easy for us to pick since we had our mind on a Betta fish and we wanted a smaller tank for him to swim in. This way we could easily find space for the little creature in P’Diddy’s small shared bedroom. What I didn’t expect was to find a ready-to-go fun tank like the Aqueon MiniBow that comes in four colors. P’Diddy chose green (his favorite color). What I loved about the tank was that it came with everything we needed for our first fish, plus easy to follow step-by-step instructions!

The saleswoman told us we would also need rocks for the bottom, decor for the bowl, plus extra fish food and water conditioner because the sample in the box wouldn’t last long. Both my older boys had a great time helping their brother with the colors and fish accessories. They picked out a Beach Bowl theme. Awwwww! I think they wanted to make me smile, and I totally did!

It was great watching the boys put the fish habitat together. It was great teamwork until it came to naming the new fish, then it was more like a heated discussion. But it was P’Diddy’s Betta and he was the one who got the final say. Trout is his name. It’s his favorite baseball player and a fishy name! Ha!

Now, kids often see pets as friends and want to protect them. I have a story about this statement. I found P’Diddy in his room by himself and he was just watching Trout swim around. I asked him what he thought of his new friend, and he looked at me and said, “Mom we aren’t going to eat him. He’s my pet.” LOL!

We’ve had fish for dinner a couple times in the past week and he was thinking hard about this, obviously!

The compassion in kids is overwhelming and even just one fish can teach so much. Let your child nurture and take responsibility early. I know they can do it and it will stick with them forever!

To see more about Little Creatures, Big Lessons click here!

Are pet fish a part of your family?