How can I explain to my three year old daughter and 5 year old son?

Question

that we don't have enough time to keep our pony and that he'd be much happier with someone else

Answer 1

I was in the same situation years ago when my oldest had just turned 5...I was about to deliver our second child, and the pony was not getting enough attention.  We were boarding it at the time, so it was also pretty expensive to keep him.  I explained the situation to her, and suggested that a hamster could live in her room and she could see it and care for it every day, and to my surprise she jumped on that. Of course, bribery isn't necessarily the best way to handle it, but it did ease the difficulty, and gave her something new to focus on while teaching her responsibility, so I figured it was a win-win situation.

Answer 2

Say something like

Horsey has to go back to its family :$

heh. best i could do

Answer 3

Ouch!  I have a six year old and I know she would be devastated.  She is still upset that our old boston died 2 1/2  years ago.

I can't really give you any advice there.  It is just one of those things that if you feel you have to then you have to just do it.  It will hurt (both them and you) but sometimes you just have to understand that it is o k to hurt a little.  It teaches us to deal so that we can handle what life throws at us.

Can you find a place that will let them visit?  That may help if they can still occassionally go over and ride.

Answer 4

is the issue only that you don't have enough time?

because you could put him out to lease, and then someone else could ride him all the time and help pay, but you would still techincally own him and then wouldnt have to break the news

Answer 5

little kids are smart i nanny and have 3 of my own younger siblings all ages 2-8  

i've had to do this many times with pets

dogs and even a turtle

i just said ... okay "deetle" (turtles name) has to go to a different home because he can't live here anymore.

and of course you get the chorus of "WHY"s!!!??

and you have to be the adult becauwse they might whine and cry but every child will get over it

just keep teling them the pet can't live with you anylonger and when they ask why i respond with because someone else wants to give him a good home, or because someone else wants to play with him

it worked for my kids!

good luck!

and don't cry when they cry.. it kinds ruins the purpose

Answer 6

Tell them your releasing the pony into the wild, with his family.

Answer 7

oh, thats a toughie. i would try and find a family first, before telling them. when you find a family (preferrably local), try to ease them into it. tell the kids alot about the new owners, and ask them if they think that the pony would be happier with them. they'll say no, of course, so thats when you explain why he would, like you dont have time, etc., and then tell them that you plan on giving (or selling, but dont tell them that, they'll think that you're selling them out for someone else) the pony to them. just ease them into it; they'll hurt, but if you do it right, it wont last long (hopefully). good luck. =]

Answer 8

Grow a pair and tell them the truth.  They are going to be devastated .. but what they want is obviously not your top priority anyways.

You are just looking for ways to make it easier on yourself the way i see it.