Yesterday morning at breakfast, Eleanor was lamenting the fact that we don't have any pets you can hold in your hand. I think she was thinking about guinea pigs or hamsters. After breakfast we went outside to clear away the weeds from the sidewalks, and the kids found a few worms and poked the worms with sticks. Amanda picked one up and you could almost see Eleanor's mind turning---here was a pet you could hold!
She raced inside for a place to put her worm. She filled a small Tupperware with dirt and leaves, and put the worm in its new habitat. She made one for her sister's worm as well. Then they went upstairs to play with their new pets. I didn't see them for an hour or two.
I found out later that they gave the worms baths, watched them swim, tried to get them out of the water, played with them on the bathroom counters, and in general touched them a lot. Amanda's died pretty soon after it was brought inside. Eleanor's was looking dried out, shorter, and more or less still when I told her the worm needed water in its habitat. Eleanor filled the cup up to the top and I explained that it also needed air... I'm not sure it is still alive, but fortunately there are a lot more worms where those came from. And, unlike furry little pets, worms don't have much sentimental value.
She raced inside for a place to put her worm. She filled a small Tupperware with dirt and leaves, and put the worm in its new habitat. She made one for her sister's worm as well. Then they went upstairs to play with their new pets. I didn't see them for an hour or two.
I found out later that they gave the worms baths, watched them swim, tried to get them out of the water, played with them on the bathroom counters, and in general touched them a lot. Amanda's died pretty soon after it was brought inside. Eleanor's was looking dried out, shorter, and more or less still when I told her the worm needed water in its habitat. Eleanor filled the cup up to the top and I explained that it also needed air... I'm not sure it is still alive, but fortunately there are a lot more worms where those came from. And, unlike furry little pets, worms don't have much sentimental value.
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