Most children seem to have a natural sense of intimacy with animals. Seeing cute Xiao Mao puppies and even small turtles raised by friends, they will pester their parents to have one…
Keeping pets has many benefits for children’s growth, However, parents often refuse their children’s request to have a pet because they are worried about their children’s safety, lack of space, lack of time and other issues. In fact, if the child is not only curious or hot for a few minutes, but also the child is mature enough, he can still have a pet.
First of all, let’s look at the benefits of keeping pets to children’s growth.
The Benefits of Keeping Pets
STEP 1 Accompany your child
Pets are often the best playmates in children’s childhood, especially for some only children, who usually lack objects to share their inner feelings. Pets can accompany children, make them less lonely and enjoy being accompanied.
Keeping pets can meet children’s physical and psychological needs and teach them about love and loyalty.
2. Help children build self-esteem and self-confidence
In the process of growing up, children especially need to be accepted and recognized. The intimacy between pets and children can improve children’s self-esteem and self-confidence, and enhance children’s social skills. Positive relationships with pets can also help TA build trust with others.
3. Help children develop non-verbal communication skills and make children compassionate.
Children tend to be self-centered, but by taking care of their pets, feeding them and playing with them, they can slowly learn to pay attention to and help vulnerable groups and show compassion and love. The experience of growing up with pets can help children communicate with others more easily.
4. Educate children to respect life
Keeping pets provides children with an opportunity to connect with nature. Through pets, they can understand the process of life growth, reproduction, aging and death, know the value of life, and learn to respect life.
5. Help children build up a sense of responsibility
Keeping pets is a job that requires continuous efforts to be rewarded. Children can improve their sense of participation and responsibility by feeding pets, cleaning and cleaning up garbage.
Choose the right pet
There are many advantages to keeping pets, but keeping pets should not only combine children’s preferences, but also combine children’s age.
So how do you choose pets?
1. Consider safety and difficulty
Parents should be careful not to choose aggressive animals as pets, and animals of rare breeds may not be easy to take care of. You should choose a pet that is suitable for both children and parents’ lifestyle.
2. Necessary communication with children
First of all, introduce your child to what it takes to keep a pet, and let TA know what efforts TA has to make. Then let TA talk about his love for what pets.
3. Cats, dogs, or other small animals?
- Cats have less work because they don’t have to take them for a walk, and cats don’t depend on people than other animals. Dogs are usually more active and need more attention and energy, but they are also more fun. If TA likes some small pets, consider guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, fish or birds.
How to teach children to take care of pets?
We understand that it is difficult to make up your mind to agree to your child’s first pet.
Keeping pets requires the time and responsibility of you and your children at the same time. If you think your child is mature enough to have his own pet, you should teach TA to take care of pets.
1. Teach TA to provide fresh food and water for pets
Make a pet feeding schedule and stick it where the child can easily see it. Generally speaking, most pets need to be fed once or twice a day and always need fresh water. Encourage your child to change the water for TA’s pet twice a day. You can help your child feed the pet together until TA learns to do so.
2. Teach TA to clean up garbage for pets,
Tell your child to clean up the garbage every week. Remind TA to wash his hands after finishing his work to avoid bacterial infection.
3. Instruct TA to clean pet cages every week.
Teach your child to clean the pet’s cage with water and soap every week. Moreover, the pet’s bed should be changed at least once a week. The fish tank also needs to be washed every week.
4. Instruct TA to take care of pets
If necessary, tell your child how to take care of your pet properly. Your puppy or kitten may need regular bristles, and dogs need to take a bath with professional disinfectant from time to time. Some pets need to be taken to a pet beautician to have their hair cut, ears cut and nails cut.
5. Encourage children to love and pay attention to pets.
Dogs need a lot of exercise to stay healthy. Take your dog for a walk with your child, or go running and playing in the park. Provide enough space for your child’s guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters or other small pets to play freely.
6. Help Children Appoint Physical Examination for Pets
You need to help your child make an appointment for a health check-up for your pet. Veterinarians can check the health status of pets and vaccinate pets on time.
Precautions for Keeping Pets
Although taking care of pets has many benefits, it can help children develop social skills. However, safety issues should be paid enough attention.
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Let children know that it is sometimes dangerous to get close to pets. Do not poke an animal’s eyes, grab its ears, or put your hand into its mouth. Can’t drag its tail or pull its hair;
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Don’t let children sleep with pets. When the baby sleeps, add a net cover to the cradle or cot.
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Don’t let children get too close to pets, such as hugging each other and kissing each other. Don’t let pets lick children, especially where children have wounds, to prevent pets from passing the virus to children;
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Wash hands after contact with pets;
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Children aged 3-4 cannot control their impulsive emotions and cannot be left alone with pets.
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Children under the age of 10 cannot take care of large animals alone; Without the supervision of parents, do not let children feed pets directly with their hands or disturb pets when they eat and sleep.
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If family members are allergic to fur or dandruff, pets are not recommended.
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Tell your child the seriousness of the promise and don’t lose interest in a few weeks. Tell TA that pets will be hurt by TA’s neglect. However, if children continue to neglect pets, parents need to take care of their pets or find a new home for pets.
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Although most children are gentle and suitable for keeping pets, some may be particularly careless and even abuse pets. If this behavior continues, it may be a sign of serious emotional problems in children. Any child who abuses, tortures or kills animals needs to be evaluated by a child and adolescent psychologist.
Generally speaking, keeping pets for children is a good education lesson, but to ensure that pets are healthy and clean, children can take good care of pets persistently.