Last week, my middle son (Alec - Happy 10th Birthday! 1/31/08) was putting a large jar of "Miracle Whip" into the refrigerator and it slipped.  Thank goodness we started buying the plastic jars!  Anyway, it hit the floor and, of course, the lid flew off.  My first response was, "Are you o.k.?"  After assessing his physical well-being, we started to clean the floor.  Then I stopped ... I said, "Hey, this looks like a fish!"  All the kids came running.  Sure enough, we all agreed that the salad dressing spilled on the floor looked like a fish, and we added an eye and fins.  Then we cleaned it up and I thought to myself, "Was this one of those 'I must be a homeschool mom' moments?"  My husband just thought I was weird (it wouldn't be the first time.)  Oh, by the way, Miracle Whip is a great alternative to mayonnaise.  Good thing - I can't stand mayo!

But everything is fishy around here lately because everyone has newly acquired fish.  Oldest son added a few pretty fish to his nearly empty aquarium.  Middle son got a new beta as it's been months since his last one died.  It's a white one, named "Blizzard".  Daughter wanted guppies and got 6 very pretty males.  When the teenage worker at the fish store asked Carmen if she wanted 3 males and 3 females, Carmen held out her hands to her sides and said, "But I don't want to breed them!"  Pausing only briefly, the teenager offered 6 males instead.  I wasn't aware that my 6 year old daughter knew about fish breeding but she and her brothers have been studying tropical fish quite a bit lately, all on their own.  My oldest is a wealth of info because it's an interest of his.  Aren't we lucky.  Even my husband bought a beta for our bedroom.  We named him "Swanson", after the doctor that performed the heart surgery on Todd.  (Remember I said I was going to name something after him?)  I think Todd bought the fish to keep me company on those nights he has to work.  I agreed to all of these fish on one condition - that I didn't have to do ANYTHING for them - that means feeding or upkeep.  And so far, that has remained true.

Poor Carmen.  One guppy died the next day.  We got a replacement (the pet shop owner is really nice) and then we lost 2 more.  Then another one.  She now has 3 guppies and though the shop owner said we could come in for more replacements, Carmen says she's happy with her 3 pretty guppies.  She was fine when the first one died but got a bit terse after losing the 4th one.  Can't blame her.  But that is the way of fish and she knows it.  I have told my kids that fish die at some point whether it is sooner or later.  My oldest used to cry and carry on when he lost a fish but, fortunately, he's improved greatly in that area.  No more grand funerals in the backyard.

My kids all need more training being responsible for something and fish fill the bill in our house.  It is fun to see them taking care of their own personal pet, giving them names and making sure they are fed.  Remembering to clean the tanks is the only issue.  It can get a bit spendy at times but it's worth it.  Fish don't need to be walked, a bonus in the climate we live in.  No training to a litter box.  No vet bills.  Just a pleasant hum from the filter. 

So this is the year of the fish in our home.  Just don't ask me to feed them.