How To Care For Your Selkie Significant Other

Fun fact about me: my favourite mythical creature is the selkie - the Irish humanoid who can shed off the skin of a seal or sea lion to transform into a beautiful human - but if you startle them, they'll turn back into a pinniped and retreat to the sea!

Irish folktales are full of tragic selkie tales where they lose their sealskin and are trapped on land by a cruel fisherman, or where they fall in love with a human but the human cannot accept that for a selkie the sea comes first. But I don't think a selkie tale always has to be tragic. I think that if we really were to find and care for a selkie, it may take work and understanding (as does ANY relationship) but it can be romantic and beautiful.

These "tips" were adapted from a journal entry I made in my private journal about a fictional selkie character Sarah and I were talking about on Monday.

A pile of pinnipeds? Or selkies in disguise?

Tips for taking care of your Selkie S.O.:

• Run frequent baths for your selkie with bath bombs and cruelty-free bath products (with plastic-free packaging if possible) to keep both sets of skin hydrated and soft and clean.
• Make a commitment to cut down on your plastic waste as much as possibly can, as human-produced plastic waste kills the fish selkies need to eat and destroys their homes.
• Never ever ever hide your selkie's seal skin - not even as a joke!
• If your selkie hears a seal, sea lion, or even a dog barking, sometimes they'll bark back. As cute as this may be, resist the urge to tease them for it. They can be sensitive.
• The selkie-mermaid rivalry is real. Always take the selkies' side of it.
• Collect pretty shells you find to decorate the bedroom you share. Your selkie will appreciate your effort to make them feel less homesick
• Selkies' natural diet is mostly fish. One of their favourite human foods is sushi - the fish is raw, like they're used to, but they don't get strange looks for eating it in public. (Selkies are naturally cautious and tend to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to themselves.)
• Some selkies really like ice cream, but most of them are lactose intolerant. Be sure to have lots of Lactaid on hand to avoid tummyaches and smelly seal farts.
• Selkie society is very big on music and song. Even if you're not a strong singer, they appreciate the effort when you try. Alternately, make them a playlist. You can include sea shanties, Irish folk music, and whalesongs if you like, but they'll try listening to any type of music at least once.
• It's well documented that seals love to cuddle, and this goes for selkies as well. Cuddle your selkie often and they will consider themselves yours.
• Lastly, but definitely most importantly, accept that every now and then your selkie needs to return to the ocean for awhile. It doesn't mean they don't love you; it's just something they have to do. Wait patiently and soon enough they will return to you.

Hopefully with these tips you can make the most of your relationship with such a beautiful creature.

-Nym