Most children love the idea of having a pet. Chances are, if you don’t already have a family pet, your kids are probably constantly clamoring for a dog or a cat you can all call your very own. That being said, many parents hold off on getting pets because they have concerns about upkeep, which can range from allergies to space constraints to financial costs.
However, if it’s within your means, there are also plenty of good reasons to bring a furry friend into your home. For one thing, pets can be major sources of companionship and comfort for any family. Secondly, pet care can contribute to your children’s development by teaching them important values like commitment, compassion, and responsibility.
If you have young children, looking after a family pet is likely to be their first experience of caring for another living being. Such an experience can teach them all sorts of priceless life lessons that will stay with them well into adulthood. The following are just some of the most important things your kids can learn from pet ownership:
Table of Contents
Being Responsible
Perhaps most obviously, keeping a pet will give your children ample opportunities to develop a sense of responsibility. They’ll have to learn how to take on and carry out specific tasks reliably, like choosing custom dog collars and leashes at the pet store, putting out food and water at the proper time, taking their pet to the vet, and more. You can use these tasks to impress upon your kids that it’s up to them to make sure their animal friend’s basic needs are met.
Knowing that a beloved companion relies on them to survive and thrive can teach kids the value of accountability. Children who learn and practice accountability early on are more likely to demonstrate it consistently in multiple areas of life, such as school, work, and interpersonal relationships. Once they learn how to keep their commitments and deliver on what they set out to do, they’ll already be on the path to becoming more dependable and more successful adults.
Keeping a Schedule
Most household pets take well to being put on a structured schedule from day to day. Having a defined timeframe for eating, sleeping, playing, and exercising helps animals feel more comfortable, safe, and secure. Similarly, because the childhood years are characterized by so much rapid growth and change, children also tend to rely on routines as sources of stability and support.
If your household were to adopt a pet, you can involve your kids in the process of planning out a daily pet care routine. This is a great opportunity to explain to your children how doing the same things at the same times each day can help both them and the family pet. Doing so can make your children more motivated to keep to the routine consistently. Having some structure to their days can then help your children develop useful related skills like time management, discipline, and self-awareness.
Managing Finances
For older kids, pet ownership is also a fruitful opportunity to learn and practice the basics of everyday financial management. Everyone knows that any kind of pet is inevitably going to rack up significant costs, with most expenses going toward food, toys and accessories, veterinary care, and grooming. Understanding that your pet costs money to keep can motivate your children to take the process of caring for them more seriously.
One useful strategy some parents employ is to set aside a regular household budget or allowance for pet care. Older children can then decide, or help decide, how that budget is to be allocated to address your pet’s various daily needs.
Maintaining Good Physical Health
Both children and pets stand to gain a lot from regular physical activity. As such, involving your children closely in your pet’s everyday play and exercise routines can be a great way to teach them about the value of physical fitness. You can, for example, encourage your children to regularly play fetch with, walk, or even take your pet out for a swim. Through this, they’ll also get to experience the physical and mental benefits of regular exercise firsthand.
Showing Compassion and Empathy
Young children are naturally egocentric, which means that they have to learn interpersonal skills like empathy, compassion, and healthy communication as they grow up. Pets can be instrumental in teaching your children to pay attention to and be considerate of the needs of others. Because your pets can’t talk to you, your children will have to observe them closely and learn to intuit what they need, what they want, and how they’re feeling at any given time.
For instance, your children might poke or squeeze a pet as an expression of affection. As a parent, it then becomes your responsibility to explain how these actions might be distressing to your pet. You’ll also need to recommend gentler ways they can touch and handle the animal. Moments like these present kids with opportunities to practice being more sensitive and empathetic. They can then take these attitudes into their interactions and relationships with other people.
At the end of the day, pet ownership and care stand to benefit children in a host of ways. Having a close animal companion can provide your children with much-needed comfort, enhance their happiness and self-confidence, and help you teach them some of life’s most important lessons.
Take care your pets with Tips and Tricks from TheWiseMum.Com Lists
