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Meet Soap and Bubbles

How do you go fishing without a Fischer?

You stay in your bed for 30 nights, that's how.



About 4 months ago, the SBOAM and I were at our end with the Sasster getting out of her bed 30 times at night before she fell asleep.... I mean we heard it all:

"I'm hungry"
"I'm thirsty"
"I can't find Bunny Bunny"
"I didn't say 'I Love You'"
"I need to snuggle"
"I can't find George Lucas"
"You didn't kiss me on BOTH cheeks"
"Shepherd needs you"
"My covers are messed up"
"I'm just sad right now"

So, in thinking about how great she did with her sticker chart(s) during potty training, I decided to give it whirl but make it something she would really really want....

The first thing I did was take her to the pet store to look at all the different kinds of fish. All the colors. Every tank. I think we looked for an hour.

Then we went and picked out special fish stickers for her chart.

When we got home, I drew her chart by hand (my printer was out of ink at the time). And then explained how she could get a fish.

Here's how it worked: 

  • Ultimately she had to stay in her bed for 30 nights and she got to have a fish. Not 30 nights in a row because she's only 4 and I know my daughter and that wouldn't happen until she was 29. Just 30 nights total. For every night she stayed in her bed, she got a sticker. 
  • If she came out of her room for any reason, other than going potty, then she didn't get her sticker. 
  • After 15 stickers, she got to pick out the fish tank, but no fish until 30.
  • Some nights where I needed a little extra leverage (like when Kyle was gone) or I knew the night would be particularly hard for her, I promised her an extra sticker. I'm the mom, I get to make it up as I go along, right?


It took 4 months, y'all. To be honest, I didn't know if we would ever get a fish and really didn't know if Fischer would be here before the fish would be. It took only 1 month to get to 15 stickers but it took 3 months to get the last 15. But in the end, SHE DID IT!


She had chosen to use a really cute box tank I had found years ago but we needed a new bowl, rocks, etc. So we went to Walmart and found a great little goldfish starter kit. Somewhere along the way, she had decided she wanted a goldfish. Not a pink fish or a Beta fish but a goldfish named Bubbles. So we found the goldfish tank at Walmart and she picked out her fish. Then, being the sweetest big sasster ever, she asked me if Shepherd could have a fish too. Because I love her sweet heart for her brother and because Shepherd was beside himself he loved the fish tanks so much, I said yes to an additional $2.78 fish. 



Shepherd's goldfish is white with orange spots and we named him (?) "Soap" and Laura Kate had found her gold, fluffy tailed goldfish "Bubbles". We came home and got the both of them settled in their new home. 



In the 20 hours since the fish have lived in our house, I have been asked so many questions about fish. 

"Can I kiss the fish?"
"Can fish understand music?"
"Do fish lay down to sleep?"

....just to name a few.
 I make up a lot of things about fish.

The only thing I was worried about was now losing my incentive to keep her in her bed at night....until I brilliantly came up with the idea that if she wants to be the one who "gets" to feed her fish the next day (and trust me....she does badly) then she has to stay in her bed all night. Worked the first night....wonder how long it will keep working?

Welcome to the family Soap and Bubbles!!
 We are glad you are here!!
 (Please, please don't die!)

2 comments

  1. Carrie...do fish sleep on their sides? What abut when you rock them to sleep?

    ReplyDelete
  2. very funny. and FYI I have already instructed her about not touching the water or the fish. And also not feeding them people food (she already asked).

    ReplyDelete