No pets rule.

I wish I had enough aforethought to establish the "no pets until you're age 6" rule BEFORE we actually had acquired any pets pre-age 6.  I say this because it is almost 10:00 p.m. and what did I just do?  Finish a nice glass of warm milk and a few cookies?  Nope.  I just gave Mr. Hermit crab fresh water, and went outside in the freezing cold to get a leaf for the fuzzy catepillar who looks really, REALLY hungry.  In theory I should have had the girls take care of their pets today, but as it was it was hard enough to get them off to school, to piano lessons, and packed into the car for swimming lessons with dad.  I navigated two serious tantrums, managed to get them bathed, fed, and some laundry done but nowhere in there was time to lecture the kids on proper pet care.  Moral of the store....I'm not sure, except that the rule about no pets my friend had seems like a really, REALLY good one right about now.  I'm just glad I didn't get talked into a puppy.....  Signed, ME {lv}