My parents went on a trip in January, and we volunteered to fish-sit for them. My mom decided to actually bring the fish to our house (which was quite an endeavor since they need a rather large tank).
She brought the fish, and since there were four, the kids each named one.
Gwyn called hers “She She”
Maddie named hers “Susan Franklin”
Lana called hers “Sally jumps into the sky”
and Everett’s was “Charlie”.
The kids enjoyed watching the fish and really looked forward to feeding them.
The fish returned home to Grandma’s house after a few weeks, but the kids remember “their fish” and are happy to see them each time we visit.
On Sunday when we arrived at Grandma’s house, she informed Cary and I that “Susan Franklin” had died. She asked us how we wanted to handle it, and we thought it would be good for the kids to know about it, and help bury the fish.
Mom told the kids what had happened, and then asked what we do with a dead fish. Lana piped up and said “We eat it!”Lana cried right away when she actually saw the fish though.
Then she consoled herself with the idea that the fish would be “resurrected after three days”. (We’ve been teaching them a lot about why we celebrate Easter lately, but it seems we have a little more to teach.)
Grandma has promised to buy a new fish for Maddie to name.