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Not sure how I feel about this...; parents weigh in
Topic Started: Dec 7 2011, 10:46 AM (768 Views)
jon-nyc
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Cheers
So my kid goes to a 'science class' on Wednesdays. Its for 2-3 year olds, its drop off (parents don't stay with the kid).

Today was the last day of class for the semester - and they sent all the kids home with goldfish. So when I got home I saw a little plastic aquarium sitting on my counter with a goldfish in it. (the nanny brought him back from class so i didn't have the chance to refuse it) They also sent home a little bag of food, probably enough for a week or two.


That was pretty bold of them.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Larry
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Mmmmmmm, pie!
Let him play with the fish for a day or two, then move it up high somewhere where it's hard for him to see and tell him it's so the bowl of water won't get knocked over. In a few days he'll forget all about it and you can flush the fish down the toilet.

Of the Pokatwat Tribe

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KlavierBauer
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HOLY CARP!!!
It's probably a sophisticated military robot being tested as a viable means of intelligence gathering.
"I realize you want him to touch you all over and give you babies, but his handling of the PR side really did screw the pooch." - Ivory Thumper
"He said sleepily: "Don't worry mom, my dick is like hot logs in the morning." - Apple

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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Take him to a pond and let him "set the goldfish free."
Can prep him by letting him watch Free Willy first.
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Jon, I agree. It is not appropriate for these people to send a pet of any sort home with a child. I would let them know that.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Dan
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Senior Carp
Come on guys. Goldfish in a bowl is as close to a zero maintenance pet you can get.

Go to a pet shop, buy a bowl, some rocks and some food, and let him enjoy his fish.

You can all enjoy him by going up to the bowl and 'talking' to the fish (think making fish faces).

When the goldfish eventually dies, get him a Beta. Still close to zero maintenance, but much more personality IMO.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
I'd be majorely pissed off if someone did that to me. OTOH, our cat would be pretty happy.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Dan
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Senior Carp
Oh sorry, missed the 'parents weigh in' part.

Pets are good for kids. As a 3 year old (3, right?) a fish is a good match. Later (5, 6, 7 ish), if J Jr. seems scared of small critters, go buy a couple of pet rats. If you get them as babies and handle them lots, they also make great pets. Get two, but make sure they're the same sex...
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
I don't think its the end of the world, and we'll keep it until it dies I suppose. But it was majorly presumptuous of them I think.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Consult Aqua for ideas to exact revenge for their presumption.
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RosemaryTwo
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HOLY CARP!!!
Oh. I went down a similar road a few years back.

My kid won a goldfish in a bag at out community day festivities.

Gritting teeth, I bought a bowl, rocks, net, food. I treated the water (from what I read on the Internet, you can't just dump a fish in tapwater).

A few weeks later I lead the death watch and then ran an elaborate funeral, complete with the gnashing of teeth, wailing, personalized memorials.

I wish they didn't do the fish-in-a-bag as a prize.
"Perhaps the thing to do is just to let stupid run its course." Aqua
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brenda
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..............
jon-nyc
Dec 7 2011, 11:00 AM
I don't think its the end of the world, and we'll keep it until it dies I suppose. But it was majorly presumptive of them I think.
Agreed. They should have conferred with the families first, or skipped the take home fish entirely.
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Yeah, hadn't thought about the boy's reaction when the fish dies. He's only 2 1/2, not sure what he'll make of it.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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kenny
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Yeah, just feed and get attached to it.
Let your boy name it.

Then have him bring it to a pet shop.
When the employees aren't looking tell him to dump it into an Oscar tank so he can watch them play.
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KlavierBauer
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HOLY CARP!!!
Jon -
I'm not a parent obviously...
but - I agree.

Nothing wrong with a gold fish per se, but what if you were a huge PETA advocate, and hated zoos/pets in general? It's very presumptuous on their part to send home a pet/responsibility without any discussion/heads up with the parents.
"I realize you want him to touch you all over and give you babies, but his handling of the PR side really did screw the pooch." - Ivory Thumper
"He said sleepily: "Don't worry mom, my dick is like hot logs in the morning." - Apple

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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
Yeah, IMHO pets as gifts is wrong. :tsktsk:
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
jon-nyc
Dec 7 2011, 11:11 AM
Yeah, hadn't thought about the boy's reaction when the fish dies. He's only 2 1/2, not sure what he'll make of it.
That concern underlines my first suggestion (above) to take the boy and the fish to a pond and let him "set the goldfish free."
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KlavierBauer
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HOLY CARP!!!
A goldfish is as good an introduction as any to the finality of life - no sense lying in setting a goldfish "free."
I mean - the moment should be age appropriate of course, nothing too serious/definitive for a 2.5 year old, but your first pet, whatever it is, will inevitably bring up the issue of death, what happens after, etc.
"I realize you want him to touch you all over and give you babies, but his handling of the PR side really did screw the pooch." - Ivory Thumper
"He said sleepily: "Don't worry mom, my dick is like hot logs in the morning." - Apple

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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
As they say in Vietnam, a dog isn't just for Christmas. If you get a big one, it'll last well into the New Year.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
It brings up all kinds of questions. Like did we flush her grandmother down the toilet when she died. True story.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
kenny
Dec 7 2011, 11:13 AM
Yeah, IMHO pets as gifts is wrong. :tsktsk:
Was at a boat club yesterday where they put a life size chess set in court yard with a sign stating that children left unattended at the chess set will be given caffeine and puppies.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Mikhailoh
Dec 7 2011, 11:19 AM
It brings up all kinds of questions. Like did we flush her grandmother down the toilet when she died.
Well, did you? I can't imagine she'd fit very well.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Copper
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Shortstop

We had a goldfish last over 10 years.

It must have been some kind of miracle.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Man, I knew you conservatives didn't like old people but I didn't realize the extent of it. :lol:
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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sue
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HOLY CARP!!!
kenny
Dec 7 2011, 11:13 AM
Yeah, IMHO pets as gifts is wrong. :tsktsk:
Absolutely.

Totally inappropriate for the school to have done this, and yes, I would say something. You, as the parent, get to decide on things like this. What if you guys had been planning an extended vacation, what if you had half a dozen cats? A hassle you shouldn't have to deal with.

Now that the deed is done, guess I'd say what others have; get a decent bowl, and let your son enjoy him. But be prepared for the death scene; that might not be wonderful, and that's why it is so wrong for someone else to load you and your son with this baggage.
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