I am not a pet person and I know this comes as no shock to any of you, but even my cold-hearted, pet-unappreciating self, I have told the kids that when age appropriate they could get a fish, and even a fish is in grave danger in our house.

SO

Josh took the boys to the pet store a while back and they told him to keep a goldfish they needed, this that and the other and we got totally turned off on the idea.  What ever happened to just a bowl and a fish?

THEN

Zeke had an exciting conversation with our friend Leslie, who said that Betta were really easy and liked little bowls.

SO

Zeke really wants a Betta fish.

BUT

Just like all pets, I am not going to take care of this fish, so Zeke has to prove his responsiblily and I told Zeke he had to bring it up at a house meeting.

THEN

Zeke proposed it at a house meeting, saying he would pay for the fish and whatever it needed, but as Leslie said, "It's just a small bowl."  Josh, being the ever so wise half of our union started asking important questions to Zeke about the care of a Betta fish.  Zeke, taking on the ever so smarts of his father said, "I will go to the library and check out a book on how to care for a Betta fish and then I will make a list of all I need to do."  

BUT

Again, my ever so wise husband then throws out the scenario, "But what if when you (Zeke) are cleaning the tank the old water spills everywhere?  Do you think you are capable of cleaning up a big water mess?  Can he do that?"  I think for a moment, "I don't know but I do know that I am not going to do it."  My ever so wise husband says, "Then how about we find something that Zeke can practice cleaning up so he can show he could clean up a poop filled fish water mess?"  "He can clean up after his sister pees on the floor?" I reply. "Ok, Zeke, you have to clean up your sister's pee messes for 7 days to get your fish, and even after those 7 days, if she ever does have an accident, you still have to clean is up."  Zeke, "Deal!"

AND SO

Zeke got his book about Betta.  And they do only need a very small bowl because that is how they live in the wild in the Thai rice fields, who knew!  He made his list of things he needed to get and remember to do to make his fish survive.  And he knows that if at any point he neglects this fish it is *flush* down the toilet.

AND YES, 

Sure enough, his sister did not make it to the toilet in time that day and sure enough, he cleaned up the mess, washed the floor and was joyful the entire time... Then when she got into the bathroom but had an accident on the rug instead of in the toilet so he picked up the rug and washed it in the washing machine... then when she had an accident on the carpet, he got out the carpet cleaner vacuum and cleaned the carpet... all with joy and proudly proclaiming, "I am going to have my fish in no time!" 

AND

Lucky for him, his sister's messes are getting less frequent every day.