I don’t recommend a kitten. My children were 5 when we got one and they were constantly bugging her, picking her up and not listening to me at all when I’d ask them to stop. I even caught one of my children giving her a smack (we had a stern talk). 5 is still incredibly young and can be hard for kids to understand that the pet is not a toy/fragile. With this in mind, I’d recommend a fish or other sea creature.

Get a chicken or 2. We love ours. They are so cute and love hanging with us when we garden. Getting eggs is a bonus. They eat all your scraps. And if you want to go away for a night or 2 They sort themselves out, as long as their food and water is full.

Don’t get a kitten or cat because they have to be inside now 24/7 because of them killing the wildlife and birds. Plus, if it’s a kitten you’ll have to toilet train it. If you’re not home it’d be really hard and smelly.

My daughter is going through this at the moment with my grandson and it was either a fish or tortoise and my grandson picked a tortoise. There’s a great deal of paperwork involved with tortoises or turtles so just a warning. You have to have a license and you have to have a big enough tank and before you get the pet you have to have the water tested to make sure it ok. I never heard of all that before but I suppose if you’re willing to go through with it you won’t just dump it like people do when your child is tired of it. A bird is a great pet and if you get them young enough they can be taught to come out of their cage and sit on your shoulder or a special perch and the kids can teach them to whistle tunes, answer the phone, and dance. I used to breed cockatiels so I do have some knowledge. Budgies are great too. I still have one of my original cockatiels and he’s 26yrs old.

Maybe a fish? To be honest, we’ve never got a pet because I knew I’d wind up being the one to look after it, and I already have enough to do.

Dogs are lovely but require a lot of attention.
Perhaps a young cat would be a lovely idea as they are more independant and dont mind being left alone during the day. A cat wont make a noise and upset the neighbours either. They are also less costly to feed.

I’d hold off until she is a little older to take on the responsibility but otherwise a small indoor pet. A small bird in a large cage would be nice but it would need to be let out often as it’s awful to see any animal caged up. It’s also personal taste and allergies etc. I am not really an indoor pet person so it depends how you feel.

Consider the time and suitable environment you can provide a pet currently. It sounds best to hold off on a four legged friend. Maybe a fish could be nice. Watch finding Nemo together and talk about pet responsibility.
I would urge against a bird. Just because some people put them in small cages doesn’t mean they live their best lives that way. Just my own ethos to responsible pet ownership.

Maybe try and match any future pet with your household profile. These are always good to do.

Always start off small and always choose a pet that suits your lifestyle. Pets need time and attention and have lots of needs and the family budget needs to include the cost of pets. Pets bring such joy but all factors must be considered before adding to the family.

I agree asmall pet that can be kept inside may be a good option, like fish, mice, guinea pig or a bird.

It’s a huge decision if you’re not 100% in. Why don’t you start small with a fish and see how she goes with that first?

I think you need to look what is possible within your circumstances, then question yourself if you would want an indoor or outdoor pet