Advantages For Children Who Grow Up With Animals

It’s a wonderful learning experience for children to grow up with a pet.
It can teach children many lessons for life: responsibility, commitment, and love.
That is, of course, if children are guided properly by their parents and if parents are role modeling how to be a responsible pet owner.

Parents need to know and demonstrate responsible Pet Ownership so their children will learn from them.

 Here are some points to consider when you are thinking of getting a pet for your child:

1. If you decide to get a pet it should be the whole family’s responsibility, not only your child’s. You cannot expect a child to be fully responsible for another living creature since he/she is also not able to care for him or her self yet either.
2. Do some research first to find out what type of animal fits your family and life-style best.  There are many websites available that help match a pet to families.  If you spend little time at home, maybe a dog won’t be the best pet for you since they require more interactivity with humans than a smaller animal such as a cat or a rabbit.  If you do decide you want to have a dog, check out personalities first. If you are an active family that likes to walk and do outdoor activities, a high energy level dog will suit your family. If you don’t lead such an active life, a smaller dog with a calm personality might suit you better.
3. Are you ready to make a life time commitment to the animal you are going to bring into your family? Remember, you want to teach your child about responsibilities and commitment which your child will bring with him or her for the rest of their lives. If you give up on your pet for whatever reason you are basically telling your child that giving up on animals (and even people!) is ok if things are not going smoothly. This is obviously not a positive message you want to teach your child.
4. Be a “hands on” pet owner. It’s you and your family who want to own a pet, so make sure you and your family are the main caretakers and not your staff. By being a “hands on” pet owner you are bonding with your pet and it’s trusting you for its care.
5. Make sure you guide your children when they are still young and teach them how to be gentle towards animals. Animals are NOT toys! It’s the parents responsibility to make sure that both your child and the animal are safe at all times. Rough behavior should not be allowed.  No tail pulling, poking, teasing, throwing, kicking or hitting.  Those behaviors are not allowed in schools and shouldn’t be allowed at home.

Having a pet will teach your children to be gentle, loving, committed and responsible human beings !
Skills for a successful life!

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