If you had told me a year ago that my sweet, freckle-faced boy would be begging for a snake, I would’ve laughed you out the room. This kid used to scream if he saw a worm on the sidewalk. But then Uncle Gavin came to visit.
Now, Gavin’s always been the “cool uncle”—tattoos, motorbike, wild stories from the Outback. But this time, he brought something else with him: a four-foot jungle python named Zuzu, curled up calmly in a little travel tank like it was the most normal thing in the world.
My son, Milo, was hooked. Eyes wide, mouth half open, he followed Gavin around all weekend asking about how Zuzu eats, sheds, sleeps, everything. At one point, Gavin let Milo hold her—and I swear, that was it. Game over.
Since then? Snake books from the library. Snake facts at dinner. Snake drawings taped to the fridge. He even started practicing holding “pretend snakes” (old shoelaces and jump ropes). I didn’t even know a kid could be this obsessed without a screen involved.
And yesterday, Milo sat me down, all serious, like he was about to present a business proposal.
“Mom,” he said, his eyes full of determination. “I want a snake.”
I blinked, momentarily unsure of how to respond. “Milo… I thought we were just talking about this as a passing phase?”
He shook his head, his face set in that way I knew too well. The same look he had when he really wanted something. “No, Mom. This isn’t a phase. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks now. I’m ready.”
“Ready for what, exactly?” I asked, trying to keep the humor in my voice. “To take care of a snake? You’re still scared of the vacuum cleaner.”
“I’m not scared of the vacuum anymore,” he said quickly, and I couldn’t help but laugh. It was true; he’d once been terrified of it. “But I can do this, I promise.”
I knew I had to make a decision, but I was torn. I’d never been a fan of snakes. They were too unpredictable, too… slippery. But Milo’s obsession had become so much more than a passing fancy. I could see it in his eyes—he had a real, genuine interest in learning everything there was to know about reptiles.
Still, I hesitated. I thought back to when I was a child, asking my own parents for a pet. I remembered how much they resisted, how they seemed to think I wasn’t responsible enough. I vowed I’d never do the same to Milo—if he truly wanted it, I would listen. But this was different. A snake wasn’t the same as a hamster or a dog. A snake was serious business.
“Okay, let’s talk about this,” I said, pulling him to sit beside me on the couch. “But before I even think about it, I want you to tell me why you really want one.”
He sat up straighter, his eyes widening with excitement. “Well, first of all, snakes are awesome! They’re like, ancient creatures. Did you know they’ve been around for millions of years? That’s like… a really long time. And Zuzu is so cool. She just hangs out with Uncle Gavin, and he doesn’t even have to worry about her like he does with his other pets.”
I nodded slowly. I could tell this was more than just wanting a pet. Milo had become fascinated by something that was part science, part nature, part mystery. It wasn’t just the coolness of owning a snake that appealed to him—it was the challenge.
But that didn’t mean I was ready to jump on board just yet. “Milo, I get that you’re excited, but owning a snake comes with a lot of responsibility. You can’t just let it sit in a tank all day. You’d need to take care of it, feed it, clean its enclosure, and make sure it’s healthy.”
“I can do all that!” he said, his voice filled with confidence. “I already made a schedule. I can clean the tank every Saturday. I’ll feed it every week. I’ll even take it out and handle it like Uncle Gavin does.”
I took a deep breath, trying to assess how serious he was. This wasn’t like asking for a new video game. A snake, especially one like Zuzu, was a commitment that couldn’t be taken lightly. I didn’t want to let my son down, but I also didn’t want to make a hasty decision that could come back to bite us.
“I’ll tell you what,” I said, deciding to turn it into a learning opportunity. “You’ve got to show me that you’re responsible enough for this. I want you to do some more research, keep reading those books, and show me that you understand what it really takes to care for a snake.”
Milo’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Deal!”
For the next few weeks, Milo threw himself into learning more about snakes. He read every book he could find, watched documentaries on reptiles, and even began writing down his observations. He drew diagrams of snake enclosures, researched the right temperature and humidity for Zuzu, and even looked into safe, healthy snacks for the snake. Every time I walked into the room, he had something new to share with me.
Then, one evening, just as I was about to cook dinner, I got a call from my sister, Laura.
“Hey, sis,” she said, a little hesitantly. “I think we need to talk about something.”
I frowned. “What’s going on?”
“It’s about Gavin,” she said, her voice tight. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but… he’s been having some financial issues. He’s been struggling to keep up with bills, and I’m worried about him. He’s not the same as he was before. He’s… falling behind, and I think it’s affecting his choices.”
I was taken aback. Gavin had always seemed like the free-spirited, care-free uncle who lived life on his own terms. But hearing Laura’s concern made me pause. If Gavin was struggling, what was really going on? And how did it affect Milo’s newfound obsession with snakes?
“What do you mean?” I asked. “Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. He’s not being upfront with me. But I found out that he’s been borrowing money from a few people, including a guy who… well, let’s just say he’s not the kind of person you want to owe money to.”
The twist hit me hard. I never expected something like this from Gavin. He was supposed to be the fun, wild uncle, not someone who could be in financial trouble. My thoughts turned to Milo, who had grown so attached to the idea of having a snake because of Gavin’s influence. Was Gavin’s obsession with reptiles a distraction from his problems? And what did this mean for Milo?
“I’m really sorry to bring this to you,” Laura continued. “But I thought you should know. Maybe Milo doesn’t need a snake right now—not just because it’s a big responsibility, but because I’m not sure Gavin should be the one influencing his decisions at the moment.”
I sat in silence for a long while, letting the words sink in. I wasn’t sure what to think. On the one hand, I could see that Milo’s fascination with snakes was genuine, but on the other hand, the situation with Gavin made me question everything.
After hanging up with Laura, I sat down with Milo that evening. He was still bubbling with excitement about his research, but there was a heaviness in my heart. I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I also didn’t want him to get swept up in something just because of a misguided influence from his uncle.
“Milo,” I said gently, “I’ve been thinking about the snake. And there’s something I need to tell you.”
His eyes widened, and I could see the hope in them. “What is it, Mom?”
“I think we need to slow down. Not because you aren’t ready, but because I want you to understand what it means to make this kind of decision. And also, because I want you to be aware that Uncle Gavin is going through some stuff right now.”
Milo’s face fell a little, but he nodded. “I know he’s been acting weird. But I still want the snake.”
I smiled softly. “I know you do. And I’m proud of how much you’ve learned. But before we move forward, I think it’s important we talk to Gavin. We’ll figure out if having a pet is really the right choice, and make sure you’re making this decision for the right reasons, okay?”
Milo thought for a moment, then sighed. “I get it, Mom. I guess I just wanted to feel close to him again, you know?”
That hit me harder than I expected. Gavin was Milo’s role model, and even though I hadn’t seen it before, I realized how much influence he had over my son. But this wasn’t just about a pet snake. It was about Milo learning responsibility—and about me teaching him that not everything is as simple as it seems.
In the end, we didn’t rush into getting the snake. We kept talking to Gavin, supporting him through his struggles, and teaching Milo that sometimes the things we want aren’t always the best for us in the long run. And while the idea of a pet snake was put on hold, we ended up adopting a smaller, more manageable pet—a gecko named Leo.
Sometimes, life’s little twists and turns teach us that we don’t always get what we think we want. But in the end, we often end up with something that’s better for us, even if it doesn’t seem that way at first.
If you’ve ever found yourself in a similar situation—where something you thought you wanted didn’t turn out the way you expected—remember this: Life has a funny way of guiding us to where we truly need to be. Trust the process, and let go of what you think you want. You might just find something better waiting for you.
If this story resonated with you, share it with someone who might need a reminder that sometimes, the best things come when we least expect them.
