There are many perks to having a family pet. Whether you have a dog, cat, bird, fish, or another animal, the addition can bring happiness and longevity to your life. Pets can provide emotional support, reduce stress, increase physical activity, and decrease your risks of life-altering conditions like cardiovascular disease. Likely the most invaluable reason to own a pet is the advantages for your kids.
Benefits Of Pets For Children
More than a source of love and entertainment, a family pet can teach your kids skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. The connection between your children and their pets will teach them compassion, empathy, and respect. Having a furry, feathered, or scaly companion can also help children develop social skills, boost their confidence, and enhance their academic performance.
Caring For The Family Pet
Although a family pet can undoubtedly add meaning and value to your life, caring for them comes with various responsibilities. As most parents already have a busy schedule, maintaining these tasks alone could prove challenging. Making pet care a family affair can ease your load and make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.
Start Early
Having a family pet can benefit your kids at any age; however, there are a few reasons to consider pet ownership while they’re young. For starters, the most formative years of a child’s life are between 0 and 8. During this time, they’re absorbing more information and developing essential skills rapidly. By getting a dog, cat, bird, or another animal while you’re kids are young, they’ll have an easier time grasping concepts and developing the necessary habits to care for a pet.
Here Comes The Big Helper
Getting your kids to complete their household chores is like pulling teeth. However, when it comes to caring for a pet, they’re eager to assist. As this is a prime opportunity to teach your kids responsibility (among other things), parents are encouraged to allow their big helpers to pitch in. Below are some age-appropriate pet care tasks to add to your kids’ to-do lists.
Preschool-Kindergarten
By the time your child is three years old, they have enough mobile, communication, and comprehension skills to help mom and dad take care of the family pet. While you shouldn’t delegate tasks like walking, grooming, or watching pets, there are some ways they can help. They can help with feedings, give out treats, and give your pet a little TLC. Remember children this age should not complete any of these tasks without supervision.
Elementary School
Your big helper is getting older and can now handle more responsibilities. They can gather supplies for feedings, walks, and grooming. At this age, your children can also understand the importance of properly handling and playing with pets. As animals like dogs require a lot of attention, your kids can help keep them entertained. Elementary school children can also maintain the feeding schedule (with the proper tools and supervision). Kids get really attached to their furry friends at this age and develop long-lasting memories of their pets that can last even longer with a pet canvas portrait. Guaranteed to make them laugh too!
Middle School
Once your child is in middle school; they’ve developed enough skills to increase their pet care responsibilities. At this point, they can complete feedings and walks with little to no supervision. Now would be an opportune time to enlist their help with tasks like grooming, bathing, changing the litter box, and cleaning up after their pets.
High School And Beyond
Parents of teenagers can rejoice, as their kids are old enough to take care of the family pet by themselves. Of course, some tasks like cleaning your dog’s teeth or clipping their nails should always be handled or supervised by an adult to avoid injuries. Besides that, you can delegate, monitor, guide, and breathe a sigh of relief as pet ownership becomes a breeze.
Buying or adopting a family pet isn’t something you do without careful consideration. Although there are many benefits for you and your kids, you must assess the responsibilities of caring for a pet. The good news is your children can be a substantial part of caring for their needs. If your big helpers are anxious to pitch in, use the above advice to assist you in delegating pet care assignments.
