As a parent, one of your biggest priorities is finding suitable activities and experiences for your child that will help them grow and learn. One excellent option to consider is getting your child a pet. Kids and pets go together like peanut butter and jelly, like peas in a pod, like birds of the same feather. And for good reason! Pets can provide kids with endless love, companionship, and loyalty—not to mention hours of entertainment.
If you already have thoughts of giving your little one a pet, you are on the right track. In this article, we have listed the many benefits of pets to kids, things to consider in getting pets, and which pet they should have. Let’s start!
There must be a couple of worries keeping you from finally getting a pet for your child. For instance, you are worried it’ll be additional work for you on top of the many responsibilities that come with raising a child. The physical wellness of your little one is also a concern as you are not sure if the pet will be more harmful than beneficial. Let’s help you rest your thoughts by listing the ten benefits of pet caring for kids.
Wipe away the worry that your child may get sick by taking care of pets—studies have found that pets are immune system boosters and great protectors from the following illnesses:
Pets already do a great job making your child happy just by being present, whether it’s being a loyal companion or a soft breathing ball of fluff to cuddle with. The advantages to physical wellness are just a great bonus!
When you choose a pet with a long life span, the benefits your child enjoys in their early years can last until they reach adulthood. In addition, companionship can bring these benefits to your child’s mental wellness:
This gift of companionship and the benefits can improve your little one’s life even when they are not so little anymore.
When your child is free from sadness, stress, and anxiety, they’ll become more confident in overcoming daily challenges. For example, when your little one has difficulty making friends because of shyness, they can build confidence through their pets. Pets can also instantly connect them to other kids and develop pet-based friendships.
If you want to build your child’s confidence, the best age to introduce pets is before they reach six. This age is when your little one isn’t exposed to long school hours yet. Having a pet gives them a chance to develop their language, communication, and socialization skills even when at home.
These days, kids are always in front of gadgets and doing something online. Unfortunately, it is detrimental to their physical and mental health, especially for younger kids. Too many devices can affect their cognitive, language, and motor development.
If you have pets, your kids will have something more enjoyable and active to do with an actual breathing companion. Instead of playing computer games, they can play with their cats and dogs. The long hours indoors will be replaced with time under the sun and running around with their pets. Problems that stem from gadget overuse, like obesity, vision problems, and even seizure, will be kept at bay as your child spends more time with their pets.
When you start your kids young on pet caring, they’ll develop the habit of staying active and having pet playtime in their daily routine. As the adage goes, Train up a child the way they should go, and when they grow old, they will not depart from it. Indeed, when you begin teaching kids to care for pets before age six, you will not have problems keeping them active when they get older.
With active pets such as dogs, the pet will drive your child to have some muscle and bone stretching, running, and catching up with their pets. They can imbibe this habit of staying active with their pets until they get old.
The next benefit of having pets is getting to introduce household responsibilities to your child. The chore will not look like a task because they’ll enjoy feeding their pets, cleaning their house or cage, and even bathing them. After their accomplishment, patting them on the back for a job well done will give them a sense of achievement.
The next time they’ll be accomplishing pet caring tasks, they’ll be more motivated in doing so because it is fun. They will also feel that they did something of importance, making them feel proud and make you, their parents, feel proud, as well.
As your child feeds, bathes, and cares for their pets, they’ll learn that each living thing has feelings. They will learn about cause-and-effect relationships and that their actions can affect their pets. For instance, you’ll notice how your child will stick to feeding schedules because they know that their pet will starve if they don’t.
These lessons on empathy can also transcend how they treat people. They’ll be more conscious of how they conduct themselves because they know their actions can affect others. We've already mentioned the physical and mental benefits of taking care of pets earlier. This time, you’ll see that pets also affect your little one’s emotional development.
When you visit some preschools, you’ll also see some furry and hairy animals aside from educational materials and toys. Pets are being brought to classrooms because of the following intellectual benefits they bring to kids:
Pets are also beneficial for educators—they can communicate the lessons better to their students because they are more attentive.
Pets are a tried and tested way of letting children loosen up, be more social, have fun, and enjoy an atmosphere perfect for learning.
Family is a child’s primary social group, and anything that happens at home can affect a child’s development and behavior. If there are pets at home, it brings your child and the whole family joy. Picnics are better with a trusted friend to chase and run after. The house is better when every member takes turns caring and doing the chores needed to keep their pets clean and healthy.
If you are preparing your child to care for an upcoming sibling, caring for pets can be a great way to develop empathy for other family members.
There are a lot of life concepts that are too complex to explain to a child, like giving birth, sickness, and death. Having a pet can be a less cruel way to explain to them that a mother dog or cat should give birth to new puppies or kittens. When the pet gets sick, you can teach them how this is a regular event on animals and people. And no matter how difficult, when a pet dies, you can explain that such is life; it has an ending, but take away the sadness by letting them know their pet is in a better place.
Are you now convinced that pets have more benefits to kids than risks? If yes, let us take you to the next step—the considerations when choosing pets. Here are some of the most common details you should check first to ensure that your child and household are ready for a pet:
You need to pick a pet appropriate to your child’s age. For instance, fish and hamsters are the best for preschoolers because they are easier to maintain and care for. But when your child is a bit older, they can take on the responsibility of caring for bigger animals like cats and dogs.
Your child cannot take full responsibility for pet care. Hence, you also need to ask yourself if you and other household members have the time and patience to add pet caring to their pile of tasks. If you will be the one to do it, being responsible is a must as you will be a role model to your child.
Pet maintenance will add some costs. They will need food, shelter, and sometimes, a trip to the veterinarian for checkups. Consider the cost of choosing pets for your little one. If your household is not ready for a higher additional cost, go for low-maintenance pets. But if finances are not an issue, you can get any pet you and your child desire.
You also need to check your space at home. Do you have a spacious house or yard or rent an apartment? These will all affect your decision on which pet to give to your little one. Dogs are perfect if you have a yard as this pet can be more active. For smaller spaces, cats, hamsters, or fish are excellent choices.
Finally, it also pays to consider what your child wants. Teaching them proper pet caring will be easier when they get the pet they desire. Worrying about their pets will also come naturally to them, making them more responsible for feeding and cleaning time.
If you think the household is ready for a living, breathing, loving pet, you can proceed to the next section, but if not, consider lifelike toy pets that will train you in taking care of one.
After ticking all the considerations for pet care, let us dive into the exciting part—choosing the pet for your child! Here are the best choices for kids' pets!
There are plenty more options, but always consider your child’s age, home space, costs, and other factors before deciding.
As you can see, there are many benefits to having a pet in your home. It can affect your little one's physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and social development. Pets are also an excellent way for the whole family to bond.
Cats, dogs, birds, or rabbits, your choices for pets are plentiful. But when you’ve finally decided to have pets, look back on the considerations. Consider your child’s age, space at home, and other factors in the decision-making process to ensure that you are getting a pet you and your child can truly take care of.
Nevertheless, if you think now still isn’t the right time to have pets for your little one, there is still a great option here at Perfect Petzzz. We have different lifelike pet cats and dogs that will allow your child to experience caring for pets that breathe and snore! Perfect Petzzz is the best introduction and preparation before caring for real ones. So check out our collection on our website, and get yours now!
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