It should be no surprise that the government in California has ruled that parents have no right to educate their own children. Instead, all children between 7 and 18 must be educated by a certified teacher.

It is also no surprise that the teacher’s unions were thrilled with the ruling.

There are plenty of teachers that I have encountered over the years that I would trust to educate my children. There are also many more that I wouldn’t trust to watch my children much less teach them anything. As long as the bad teachers are protected there will be a problem with the education system and now the families in California have no remedy for that problem.

There is no perfect resolution as to who is best equipped to teach the children. There will always be some parents who choose homeschooling because they don’t want to have to do anything. There will also always be teachers who don’t know or don’t care about what they are teaching (at least as long as the government and unions are involved).

There is no easy answer to who should educate the children, but something has to be done. The educational level in America is going down hill quickly and the government seems determined to keep it that way.

Spring is the time of new life, and often the time that people end up getting pets for their children. Having the responsibility of a new pet is great, but don’t give your child more than they can handle – for their age or their temperament.

1. Fish – most people think of fish as a simple first pet. It doesn’t take much to keep the goldfish and there is no real walking or clean up, but this is a MYTH. Fish need lots care and special equipment. Even goldfish need a tank that will hold 20 gallons and that has a pump. Plus, fish that are taken care of properly will live a surprisingly long time.

2. Birds – just pass over these for your children. These are long term pets with some species living up to 70 years!

3. Hamsters and gerbils – these are probably some of the best first pets that you can get for your children. They take up a relatively small space, require minimum maintenance and they have short life spans (around three to five years).

4. Dogs – long term commitments (up to 20 years) with lots of maintenance.

5. Cats – long term commitments (up to 15 years) with lots of maintenance.

If you HAVE to get your child his or her first pet, then start with the child’s own age as a determining factor. How responsible is she about doing other chores around the house without being told. If she isn’t doing any chores, then start with that. After a full month of doing chores WITHOUT being reminded then you can start with a small pet (like a gerbil or a hamster).

What ever you do, don’t get a first pet on a whim. Research the animal AND the breed to determine if its needs will fit in well with your family.