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Kids and Pets Surrounded with images of animals from the day they are born, their nurseries decorated with jungle themed wallpaper, and stuffed puppies and bunnies handed to them to play with, parents should not be surprised that, at one time or another, they are confronted by their animal-crazed children with the request for a puppy or kitten. Raising a pet alongside children is not easy. They all want your attention and all need to be taken care of, unless the pet is meant to teach your children responsibility and they have promised to help you with its keep. Even then you will have to supervise and make sure that your cat or hamster gets fed in time, and the dog is going for his daily walks. Be well informed when choosing your first pet. Not all animals are suited to be around young children. Besides evidence that some exotic animals, such as lizards, turtles and other reptiles, can carry dangerous and sometimes potentially deadly germs, these unusual pets may be more prone to bite, scratch and claw than cats and dogs. Even some more common pets are not always child friendly and should not be considered until the children are older; dog breeds such as Doberman, Bulldog, Pit bull and Schnauzer come to mind. Keeping a schedule for pet care will help both the parents and children. A check mark next to the chore will let the other family members know which job was already done. Learning responsibility and taking care of another living creature is one advantage of having a pet share the household, caring and bonding, another. Looking after and playing with pets creates a strong bond between child and animal, something that may turn out to be quite valuable, especially if the child has no siblings or close friends. Unfortunately, with love comes pain, and when a beloved pet and best friend dies a child will go through the same grieving stages, as if it lost a dear family member. The departure of a pet teaches a child how to cope with death and grief, and makes it aware of some of life’s many lessons. |