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Reasons Why Fish Are the Perfect First Pet for Your Family

Reasons Why Fish Are the Perfect First Pet for Your Family

Most parents dread the day their children start asking about adopting a family pet. After years of raising your children, who would want to take on another responsibility? So how do you balance managing your children, your home, and a new pet all at once?

If you’ve been stressing out over the pros and cons of adopting a new pet for your family, consider purchasing a fish for your home first. When you buy a fish as your first family pet, you can teach your children some of the same crucial lessons that they’d learn from a dog or cat with less hassle.

To learn more about the top reasons why fish are the perfect first pet for your family, continue reading our blog below.

Fish Teach Your Children Responsibility

The most common reason parents adopt pets into their family is to teach their children crucial lessons about responsibility. However, many parents find that after adopting a dog or cat, the responsibility of taking care of this animal ultimately falls on themselves, not their children. If you’re a busy parent that works a full-time job, then this scenario is a nightmare.

However, since fish are low-maintenance pets, they are more realistic for your children to take care of as their first pet. Parents can give their kids the responsibility of feeding and cleaning their fish’s bowls without worrying about tasks falling through.

If you’re considering buying a pet to teach your kids about responsibility, we highly recommend starting with a fish first.

Fish Teach Your Children Empathy

One of the most important things any parent can teach their child is empathy. For younger kids, they must learn how their actions lead to consequences. Having a pet fish can be a highly beneficial and safe way to teach your kids this lesson.

When your children forget to feed their fish or clean their fishbowl, they’ll witness the consequence of their actions. After seeing their pet’s quality of life decrease, your kids will likely empathize with their fish and change their behavior to become better pet owners. 

Fish Tanks Won’t Damage Your Home

Luckily, fish stay in a bowl. So unlike bringing home a new puppy or kitten, no foreseeable damage should happen to your home. If you’re a busy parent, then this is a significant advantage.

While your fish’s tank could get dirty or have issues, you can easily solve these problems, and they will not result in your home needing significant maintenance repairs. If you’re worried about protecting your house from the hazards of adopting a new pet, consider starting with a fish instead.

Fish Are Fun

Having a family pet is a fun and enjoyable experience for your children. One of the best reasons fish are the perfect first pet for your family is that buying this animal is fun for the entire family. Your kids can pick out their favorite fish to take home, brainstorm fun names, and pick out a kid-friendly fish tank for their bedrooms.

Your children will be grateful for their new pet, and you can rest easy knowing you’ve invested in a low-maintenance animal for your home.

If your children have insistently asked about getting a pet for your household, consider rewarding their commitment with a friendly fish. This low-maintenance purchase will give your kids crucial life lessons without any added stress to you, your schedule, or your home.


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Mallory Knee

Mallory Knee, the Detroit Mommies Lifestyle & Parenting Contributing Expert is a freelance writer for multiple online publications where she can showcase her affinity for all things home, lifestyle, and parenting. She particularly enjoys writing for communities of passionate women who come together for a shared interest and empower one another in the process. In her free time, you can find Mallory trying a fun new dinner recipe, practicing calligraphy, or hanging out with her family.

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