FISH!

We told Will that he could get another small pet for his 5th birthday. After talking him out of a guinea pig which is what he wanted, we convinced him to get two guppies instead. Jane took advantage of our goodwill and got herself a Betta fish.
After making several house rules:
1.) Don't put toys into the fish bowls 2.) Don't "go fishing" 3.) Don't try to pick up the fish 4.) Don't 'make an earthquake' by shaking the bowls (thought this was obvious but apparently not to 3 and 5 yr olds..so glad we went with fish and not something else!)
the new fish settled in and survived their first night.