Q: We want to get my son and daughter a hamster or a guinea pig to help teach them responsibility. Could you advise us? Which one would be better. We have a Yorkie, but she is more my pet than anyone else’s.

A: I do not want to get involved in family politics, but the idea of getting a pet for a child to teach him or her responsibility is not a good idea. Being responsible often means doing tasks that we do not like to do, for the common good of society or family. Doing your homework, taking out the garbage and clearing the table are responsible things to do. Nobody likes to do these things, but we know that we must if we are going to pull our weight.

Pet-keeping, however, should be fun. Children should get pleasure in feeding their pets and cleaning the cages. They should be fascinated by watching the actions of an animal and wondering why it does the things it does. Then they should go out of their way to discover the answers. Nothing about caring for a pet should be a chore. If the child thinks of it in that manner, then that child should stick to iPhones rather than pets.

I can remember, when I was 5, my parents gave me a 10-gallon aquarium for Christmas with 15 small fish in it. I would spend hours watching each fish and wondering where it came from and what more I could expect from it.

Of course, that was in a time when we had only five channels on the TV and the phone was attached to the wall with a dial that you had to spin. Even kids with more interest in the natural world rather than the virtual world need to get more out of a pet these days than your average fish tank can provide.

Guinea pigs and hamsters are a good choice. They are self-aware and respond to their names. Being individuals, they are more of a friend than fish are. Hopefully the children will be concerned about their welfare and comfort.

You as a parent need to be able to supervise. The mess that your average child will leave the house in after cleaning a guinea pig’s cage by himself or herself may cause more drama then you need, and your life may be easier if you keep an eye on things. Guinea pigs do need to have their cage cleaned every day if you do not want the cage to smell. If you, as a parent, are not prepared to monitor this, then a hamster may be a better choice. You can get away with cleaning a hamster’s cage once a week.

A hamster can also be left alone for a weekend if your family takes a lot of short trips. If you had a guinea pig, then you would need to board it out during this time. Both species are very interactive with children and will respond to affection and treats. Since guinea pigs are larger and enjoy eating, and since kids love feeding animals so much, my vote goes for the guinea pig if your family life can handle the extra work that your child will have to do while you supervise.