The Knudsens celebrate their choice of pet.
Honestly? I like when I’m right. Not in a prove-other-people-wrong kind of way, but rather a plan-has-come-to-fruition kind of way.
About this time last year, we were entertaining our son’s request for a pet fish. Much hemming and hawing ensued, and in December we welcomed four tropical fish into our home.
We’d lose three fish before our tank completely cycled, and introduce our son to loss in a way he hadn’t experienced before—for better or for worse. We would go on to add 10 more fish with great success, save for one sickly tetra, and find our groove as pet owners.
I’ll admit we thought we were ready to take on a bigger tank this past summer, but then that whirlwind called “the school year” began again, and our family became engrossed in all of its associated activities. Even our son hasn’t asked about a larger tank in weeks.
For now, I think our 10-gallon community is perfect for us: the kids appreciate the fish, and love to watch their antics at feeding time. My husband and I enjoy them, and strive to keep them happy and healthy (both the kids and the fish!). As an added bonus, I manage to make time for the minutes of maintenance each week, with help from my son.
A happy status quo is where being right comes in—we’ve actually managed to make decent (but hardly perfect) decisions. It’s a good place to be. I feel for friends—and their pets—who are less than happy with their choices. And I like to think we did something right, in addition to being lucky.
This is where we end our initial journey to become pet owners, and if we haven’t already, shift to the journey of pet ownership. I’m not sure whether we’ll pick up more fish along the way, nor am I sure how long we’ll keep pets. But I’m certainly better for having had the experience, and I know my family is, too.
“The Last Kid on the Block” has been a series following the Knudsen family’s progress selecting and caring for their first pets. Andrea Knudsen lives in suburban Chicago with her husband and two children.
