Pets and Children

There is a definite relationship between children and pets that cannot be denied. They seem to share a special bond with each other, one that can prove to be very valuable to children in more ways than one. They teach your children about life lessons that your children may not otherwise learn. The type of animal your child has, be it dog, cat, bird or fish, does not matter much, as any animal can help give them this valuable education.

Even having something as simple as a goldfish can play an important role in your child’s life. To be sure, interacting with a goldfish may be a little limited, but your child still will have something to care for other than himself. Your child would still have the fish to talk to and tell it how he feels about life. It would be another living creature that could share your child's life and feelings. Your child could still interact and play with the fish somewhat, and perhaps even be able to teach the fish a couple of tricks. (Fish can learn to follow your finger when you draw it along the side of the fishbowl, or can even be taught to come to the top of the tank to be fed when you tap the glass.) Your child would also learn responsibility in having to care for and feed the fish. Fish can also act as a soothing, calming element for your child to watch, and they can keep him company, especially at night if you have a lighted aquarium in your child’s bedroom.

Having other types of animals in your home will enable your child to always have a friend. Your child will always have someone to talk to, to play with, someone they have that cares about them and that they can bestow their affections on. We all know how great a companion a dog can be. But a cat or bird can provide that same companionship to your child as well.

Pets all provide companionship and acceptance that can be very important to your child. Their animal friend will always unconditionally return the love they get, and return it without judgment. They will always accept your child for what he is, like no one else can. Having that unconditional love can help your child’s confidence and self-esteem, and help him accept his own self-worth.

As mentioned above, having an animal to care for also teaches your child to be responsible. If your child is involved with their pet’s care, they will learn responsibility and this will enable them to grow up to be more dependable, reliable adults. Your child may also learn the lesson of what may happen if they fail to take care of their little charge properly (or the consequences of their lack of responsibility) which can be a very valuable life lesson.

Pets can also teach children the value of sharing as well. Your child may have to share his toys, or possibility a bit of his food, like when your dog steals his ice cream cone. Your child may even have to share his time or his environment with his animal friend. These sharing lessons can enable your child to make friends better when he enters the school environment.

It is also possible that a pet can teach your child one of life’s saddest lessons, the lesson of how to deal with the death of a loved one. It may happen that your child's hamster dies and learning to deal with its loss can help your child when they may have to deal with the death of any other family member. Your child will learn to mourn and how life must go on.

Having a companion animal can also teach children the value of the other living creatures in the world around them. Having an animal, bird or fish encourages children to learn about the various animals that inhabit the world in general. Is a dog so different from a wolf? A cat is not unlike a lion. Or can a hamster be seen as a smaller version of a ground hog? Having an animal in your home can encourage a broader interest in animals and can teach children to appreciate what the creatures in this world can offer us and how important they are.

Having a pet in your household, any type of animal or fish, is definitely a good thing for your children. The lessons your child can learn are invaluable.

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