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Schmidty 
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Joined: August 03 2011
Location: Clearfield
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 Topic: Visitors with children
Posted: July 21 2015 at 9:08pm |
Ugh. Having a small tank in a house with small visitors (6 and under) is a chore. Every 10 minutes they come in to the room where the tank is (my office /sanctuary) tapping on the glass trying to get a view of the Nemo fish that isn't quite a Nemo fish (Yellow Goby). I have cleaned the glass 4 times today cause the smudges bother me.
It also makes me nervous having the kids around while i'm at work. all day i'm wondering what toys are going to be in my tank or what child has tried to climb up to see the fish and knocked it over and all the other options they have to destroy my tank.
I guess it doesn't help that i'm not great with kids. But does anyone else feel this way when you get small visitors?
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Hogie
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Joined: May 09 2012
Location: Farmington
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Posted: July 21 2015 at 10:39pm |
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My buddy brought his 3 or 4 yr old over. His boy absolutely loved the tanks and ran from one room to another looking at them. I asked if he wanted to feed them and told him to put 3 or 4 pellets in. Well (I guess I was asking for it) he took a large pinch and threw it and I gasped as I watched 50 to 60 pellets sink to the bottom of my 6 gallon pico with a bangaii and a clown goby in it! Needless to say, I sent him to go find dad while I spent the next 20 min sucking out pellets from the tank!
Normally though I love looking at the tank with the littles. This one neighbor kid (she's 3) loves to come visit and sit with my wife and me and look at the fish. I love teaching her the names of everything and it cracks me up when she knows the names but just can't quite say them. "Where's dee emwhard crub?" It's so funny.
Edited by Hogie - July 21 2015 at 10:41pm
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SharkByteShaz
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Joined: December 11 2003
Location: West Point
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Posted: July 22 2015 at 12:05am |
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All kids are different when it comes to the aquariums but teaching them to appreciate the animals from a young age is sure to enrich the rest of their lives. My daughter from the age of 2 has benefited by helping when able, I have pictures of her picking out the animated hermits and snails when I would reacclimate shipments.
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HOLD MY BEER, I WANT TO TRY SOMETHING...
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Mark Peterson
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Joined: June 19 2002
Location: Murray
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Posted: July 22 2015 at 7:07am |
I help them understand that tapping on the tank is like a huge explosion in their tiny little ears. This statement works well, "You don't want to hurt (kill) the fish, do you?" Rather than acting like Dora from the movie, it seems to change the child's attitude to one of caring for their little Nemo friends.
Aloha, Mark  |
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dmw913
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Posted: July 22 2015 at 8:24pm |
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My son (6 years old) has named all the fish and has been taught (somewhat threatened) that he doesn't touch the tank for any reason - that it's only to look at and enjoy. We talk about the fish and coral and I let him take pictures of the clownfish who try to host in the brain coral. He calls it their "house". I also take him to the LFS to help pick out his own coral so he can watch it grow. He is so proud when his coral gets "babies" or gets bigger.
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ReefdUp
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Joined: March 20 2011
Location: South Weber
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Posted: July 22 2015 at 9:00pm |
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We had a big dinner party a few years back, and it was a Lowcountry crab boil. We had pot after pot of seafood for everyone, but one little girl didn't quite understand the concept.
She walked up to the tank, stared for a few minutes, then told me she wanted to eat the blue one (damsel).
I still laugh about it, and I love to have kids around the tank. I'm not a kid person, but kids just want to learn. Sure, there are smudges...and the occasional PB&J in the tank...but teaching a kid to be curious is worth it all.
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www.reefdup.com
Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987
200g, 75g, & 15g Systems
PADI Advanced Open Water
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ReefdUp
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Posted: July 22 2015 at 9:03pm |
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And I have to mention, I absolutely love having kids with special needs over to see the tank. It often relaxes them, and some of them seem to have a great connection and fascination with the fish.
That...that is worth all the hassle
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www.reefdup.com
Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987
200g, 75g, & 15g Systems
PADI Advanced Open Water
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