Preparing For a New Family Member

Firstly, I’d like to congratulate you warmly on behalf of this wonderful news! Whether you already have two or three or no Neopets at all, becoming the parent of a new Neopet, and thus a new family member, is a really big deal. That is why I have come up with this handy guide for you to use during the last three days coming up before The Big Move-In Day. There are several steps to preparing yourself—as well as the rest of your family—to welcome home the newest member of the family. Roll up your sleeves... there is much to be done, and only a Grarrl-handful of days left before the transfer!

DAY 3

Organize your Neohome. Think about it. Your new Neopet has probably been anticipating a new home for ages and is probably even more excited than you are to finally have a family and neohome that it can call, well, home. Make sure your Neohome is a place that any Neopet would love to be in; it needs to be a warm, well-lit, and properly cleaned house, not a dingy, dark and messy dwelling with a week’s worth of dirty socks and muddy shoes on the floor. Have your other Neopets help you with washing the dishes, cleaning the backyard pond, and doing other countless chores. Also remember to fix up a nice new bedroom for your new Neopet, complete with warm bed sheets and a fluffy babaa pillow. Add a string of sparkling lights and perhaps even a big banner that says WELCOME. I guarantee your adoptee will feel loved and fuzzy inside.

Mentally prepare your family. You aren’t the only one that is going through a big change! Have a family talk with the rest of your Neopets and even their petpets; remind them to mind their manners, be friendly, and keep in mind that the Neopet coming home in only a couple days isn’t just a guest or the friend of a friend’s. It’s their new sibling. No matter what, their new sibling needs to feel like this is a family that he or she can get along and be happy with. Even after the news has been broken for so long, your Neopets still may not have hammered this fact in their heads. They’ve got a new sibling! Have them get into the mood by creating some Welcome cards for the newcomer; make this a group activity with everybody participating. Also make sure your family knows that, even with the new child, you will always love them just as equally. Knowing this will make your Neopets feel cared for, safe and secure, and more eager to meet and greet the newbie.

DAY 2

Organize a gift shower. Who doesn’t love gifts? If you made an application for your new Neopet’s current owner to use and consider while finding a new parent, you should already have some idea of what your new pet likes and dislikes. Make a list of gifts that you and each of your other family members can get and present them in an elegant manner. Go on a shopping spree at the Neopian Bazaar (they have the best items at the lowest prices!); buy a couple gifts in each category: foods, toys, battledome weapons, books, grooming items. If your pet particularly enjoys food, get an extra package of nimmo cream cakes and a copy of the 105 Lava Cake Recipes cookbook. Oh, and a brand new petpet of course! Whatever species and color your new Neopet may be, he or she will definitely appreciate having a special companion to bond with.

Once you return home, wrap all the gifts in pretty wrapping paper (wrap any fresh foods in tin foil). Place some of the gifts in his or her new bedroom and put some more on the kitchen table, right where your new Neopet will see them. An even better idea is to create a treasure or scavenger hunt for your Neopet; hide all the presents in random spots (the laundry room, the bathroom mirror, underneath the bed, etc.) and write small notes to put in each area that tells your pet where to find the next gift. Have the very last gift to be the biggest surprise of all!

Mentally prepare yourself. You are the new owner. YOU ARE THE NEW OWNER!!! How does that make you feel? What responsibilities will this entail? You should already have thought this out long before you adopted your new Neopet, but you should take this time to refresh these ideas in your mind. Use your handy dandy journal, or buy one if you don’t already have one (I recommend the Loose-leaf Faerie Journal) to jot down the emotions that you feel about the adoption. Do you feel excited? Stressed? Overwhelmed? All of the above and more? Getting your thoughts and ideas down will help any anxiety you may have and will prepare you for the big day.

If you feel any extra pressure about having to feed another mouth or having to deal with future sibling rivalries, take action. Vow to start saving up extra neopoints and talk to your family again if you feel like you need to. Ponder over any possible troubles that may arise in the future and organize a plan to eliminate them. Most importantly, think about the pros. Remember why you adopted your new Neopet and think of all the new, lovely memories your family will be able to make. One extra head that will crop up in family photos, one extra player during Hide-and-Seek, one extra best friend and sister (or brother) to talk to.

DAY 1

Contact the parent. Thank the parent for choosing you as the new owner and allowing you to adopt and take care of his or her baby. No matter how old the Neopet may be and how long he or she has lived with the owner, parents/owners always tend to feel a little sad and nostalgic about allowing someone else to continue raising and taking care of their Neopet. Remind him or her of all the wonderful plans you have for the pet, and—by the way, this should not be the first time that you say all of this—renew your promise of loving and caring for the Neopet. Seal your good intentions by sending the owner a small gift (perhaps a Thanks Card and a bouquet of flowers).

Whip up your most scrumptious dishes. This may not be a good idea for owners who, unfortunately, just don’t have a knack for the pots and pans. But if you ARE good at (and enjoy) cooking, prepare your signature meat lasagna and cherry pie and let these dishes stay warm overnight. You’ll be too busy—and nervous—to cook tomorrow, so stay on the safe side and do that all today. Have the rest of your family help you or bake their own chocolate chia cupcakes with homemade frosting; in between the baking, have everybody come up with their best icebreakers to ensure maximum fun for tomorrow! If you do not enjoy cooking, order some fancy dishes from The Kelp Restaurant or another eatery that is guaranteed to have fresh and delicious foods.

THE DAY OF...

Introduce everybody. Today is the day! Scream, “Surprise!” and “Welcome to our family!” and have everybody else do the same when the door opens. Hugs and kisses are a must. After all the hustle and bustle is over, show some consideration and allow your new baby some time to say goodbye to his or her former owner, as this is surely an emotional time for both of them! Once again, thank the former owner and let him or her know that your inbox is always open for neomails if any further questions or inquiries arise.

Finally, introduce your family to their new friend and sibling. Use whole names and have each Neopet say something about themselves. Take care that this should be an informal event to be taken place, say, while eating cupcakes on the living room floor. If at any time there is an awkward moment, crack a joke or use one of those icebreakers you came up with yesterday. Snap some pictures to put in the family scrapbook, take your Neopet on a tour of the house, and explain any house rules. Your new Neopet may seem a little shy at first, so keep the conversation going. And nobody can go wrong with a hug—hugs and personal contact generates a feeling of closeness and intimacy that can make your Neopet feel loved and more comfortable with his or her new family.

Go on a family road trip. Let the new member of the family choose where everyone should take a nice, long road trip to (though if your Neopet is too shy to make this decision, I would recommend Mystery Island for a real tourist vacation or Shenkuu for a cultural holiday). If you currently work at a plushie factory or other company, tell your employee the good news and he or she will probably allow you to take a couple days off. Remember to take your camera and an extra set of everything (toiletries, usuki dolls, food, clothing), as you need to keep in mind that a whole new being is living under your roof! This road trip will be an excellent way for the whole family to truly bond and spend some quality time together.

Well, there you have it. I hope my guide has helped you feel less stressed and more prepared about this big event. I hope that everything goes well and that you and your family have a wonderful life together!

Thanks to all of my neofriends for their constant support and friendship! ^_^ You guys rock!