Does a child need a pet? Do children need a pet? Birds, fish, rodents for children

Develops responsibility in children. They depend on people, need care and attention, they need to be constantly fed, walked and cleaned up after them. Taking part in keeping a cat or dog, a child inevitably learns to be sensitive and attentive. But remember, it won’t appear by itself. Children need to be gradually accustomed to chores, starting small.

2. Self-confidence

Along with the responsibility for a pet comes children's confidence in own strength. By successfully performing duties, the child feels more confident, his self-esteem increases, and he is proud of his achievements.

3. Protection against allergies and asthma

Numerous studies recent years show that children growing up with pets are less likely to develop allergies and asthma. Under the influence of animal hair on a child under the age of one year, a stronger one is formed. One recent study found that boys who grew up with pets were half as likely to develop severe allergies later in life.

4. Games and exercise

Pets need to be constantly exercised, especially dogs, trained and played with. As a rule, these are moderate but constant, which allow “computerized” boys and girls to stay in shape. In general, families with pets are spending more time outdoors.
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5. Calmness and stress management

As a rule, pets have a calming effect. Many young people feel calmer around pets than when communicating with other people. Just like adults, children turn to animals when they are upset.

6. Improve reading skills

Many children love to read aloud to a dog or cat. Unlike adults, animals listen carefully, but do not make comments or force them to correct mistakes. Improvement of skills in this case occurs through repeated repetition.

7. Consequences

Caring for animals can teach children to think about the consequences of their actions. If pets are not cared for properly, the results are quick and visible. Hungry cats and dogs exhibit behavioral changes and appearance, a hamster cage that is not cleaned in time will quickly remind you of itself with an unpleasant odor.

8. Obligations

Taking charge of raising animals means voluntarily accepting and fulfilling certain obligations. You can’t “put a pet on the shelf” and forget about it if you get tired of worries. Every day you have to tinker with him, feed and care for him, play and communicate. Animals teach us to take responsibility for our obligations.

9. Discipline

Animals discipline. Many cats are great advocates of discipline and order; they tend to force others to behave as is customary. By teaching the dog commands, the child himself learns diligence and discipline.

There are many reasons why children should interact with pets. Remember this when your daughter or son drags home a hungry kitten. Good luck!

I want a dog! Has your baby already asked you for a pet? No, well, he’ll definitely ask for more. How to respond?

My opinion is that no animal can interfere with the development of a child; on the contrary, a dog or cat will only help to cultivate certain qualities in a child. So, if there are no obstacles in the form of a terrible allergy of a child or someone at home, then go ahead, go to the pet store and choose.

Any baby will be happy even with the smallest and scariest, but living creature that he can care for.

Here are some tips to help you if you decide to get a pet for your child.

Children under 3-4 years old are not capable of caring for anyone at all, and no reproaches like “You promised that you would help me change the sawdust!” they won’t pass here, children at this age still have no conscience, in a good way words. In addition, a child can simply harm a puppy or a mouse by hugging it tightly or simply carrying it with them, as I already wrote, they do not understand that they are hurting the animal - this is how they express their love. The only thing is that if you already have an animal, you don’t need to isolate them from each other, this way the child will quickly learn to be more careful, and the animal will know what to expect from its little owner, and maybe it will simply not be allowed into his hands, that’s all .

The main thing to remember is that children who are used to taking care of someone with early childhood, grow up less selfish and more organized than those who did not have a living furry, and maybe even slippery, friend.

You probably understand that no matter what the child is, most of the responsibilities for caring for your new friend will fall on you. So, of course, it’s up to you to decide whether to get a dog or a fish. If you are not ready for a dog in the house, start an aquarium with small pets. It could be fish, or, for example, red-eared turtle. The baby could initially feed the fish with you and then independently. You can generally feed the turtle by hand.

Watching the fish, the baby will receive aesthetic pleasure and calm his small, but sometimes very restless nerves. And you can wash a small aquarium together - I think it will be very interesting: dad can clean the filter, and in the meantime the baby can wash and play with pebbles from the fish house. Such an aquarium does not take up much space, a turtle can sit perfectly on a windowsill, and fish can sit on any bedside table in the house - the main thing is that direct sunlight does not fall on the fish.

If you are ready to have a shaggy pet - dog or cat, then be bolder. Choose a breed together, then a name, collar, etc. Little puppy or the kitten will captivate the child for a long time, especially if he has long wanted to receive such a friend as a gift, and you will even have a free minute when the baby is busy with his little responsibilities. The only thing is that even if your baby is already big, 6-7 years old, do not forget to check whether the cats are fed or the dog is walked, otherwise responsibilities, even such pleasant ones, sometimes become very “heavy” and sometimes impossible.

Our child has the pleasant task of checking the cat’s bowls in the morning to see if there is water and food. If it’s empty, he pours food or water himself, and it’s okay if he spills or scatters something, it’s not scary, the main thing is that he himself fed the animals. But, as you can imagine, at 2.5 years old it’s hard to remember such a burden, so I constantly remind my son that he needs to check the bowls.

If your child really wants it, but you don’t have the opportunity to have a pet at home, enroll your child in an equestrian sports section; this is of course suitable for older children, from 4-7 years old. And with this you will “kill” two birds with one stone: this is both a sport and an animal. The child will quickly be able to find mutual language with the horse with the help of an experienced trainer. I am sure that the child will enjoy the classes, and later just horseback riding. And how pleasant it will be for you, after a while, to observe a self-confident little man, with beautiful posture, sitting on an equally beautiful animal!

If a child of 6-7 years old REALLY wants and asks for a dog, and you think that the child is not ready, you should not first buy a turtle or a fish instead of a four-legged friend in order to practice love, affection and care. This can lead to the opposite effect, and the child will not want to take care of an initially unloved animal - he wanted a dog! Don’t deny your child such a little, and don’t forget that we only have childhood once – get your baby a puppy!

Buy specialized magazines, together choose a dog that is suitable for you and your home, and give your child the opportunity to name the pet himself. Yes, it is likely that at first you will need to care for the dog together with your child. But animals discipline their little owner, make him more responsible, caring and even sociable, and that’s all we need!

So, will you allow your child to have a pet?

Is it worth it get a pet if there is a child in the house? This question arises for many parents. And the children ask to take at least someone into the house, and the parents want to raise the child to be kind and caring. The aspiration is correct, but before you decide on anything, you need to answer some questions for yourself.

Does a child always need a pet?

Many will confidently answer “Yes”, because animal in the house helps to instill responsibility in children and instills kindness in them. Besides, a pet might become him best friend. Regarding kindness, in most cases this is true, but with responsibility it does not always work out. Often a child perceives an animal as a new living toy and only engages with it for the first time. Then he gets tired of it, and caring for the new family member falls entirely on the shoulders of adults. Here, irresponsibility is fostered rather than responsibility. If parents insist and force their son or daughter to take care of the pet, the child may develop a negative attitude and even aggression towards the small living creature, which distracts him from more interesting things.

Therefore, purchasing pet, parents must be prepared that they will have to take care of it themselves, and so that the child does not get tired, firstly, choose the animal that is most suitable for their baby, and secondly, maintain the child’s interest in the pet.

When is the best time to buy a pet?

The second question that concerns parents is whether their baby has already grown enough to buy him an animal. Some advise getting a pet when the child can take care of it himself, others, on the contrary, early, so that the baby gets used to the fact that he is not alone in the house from the first years of his life. In fact, there is no definite answer, because children are all different. Yes, and parents too. Some people can’t stand either cats or dogs, while others dote on them. For those who categorically do not want to see our little brothers in the house, it is better to take the animal really later, so that the baby himself can look after it or not take it at all, having found it alternative replacement. If parents themselves selflessly love animals and are ready to take responsibility for them, you can get an animal at any time. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is how the appearance of a pet will affect the baby’s health. Which animal should you choose to minimize any dangers?

A dog or a cat is better for a child

Parents, listening to the wishes of their children, more often take into the house the animal that they themselves like. It’s good if the opinions of family members coincide. If not, you still need to settle on one. It is undesirable to take animals that rarely get along into the limited space of an apartment. Their genetic characteristics will lead them to frequent stress, illness and shortened life.

Let's compare all the "yes" and "no" for a cat and a dog

1. A dog can become a protector of the child and the home as a whole. Never a cat.
2. The dog can be trained. Probably not a cat.
3. The dog knows its place and the word “no”. The cat does what she likes.
4. At first, the dog shits in the apartment. The cat knows its potty from the first days.
5. The dog will have to be taken out for a walk, even when there is neither time nor desire. The cat will never interfere with the owner's daily routine.
6. A large dog takes up a lot of space, eats a lot, and requires significant financial expenses. A cat, unless it is an exclusive breed, is much cheaper.
7. There are aggressive dog breeds that can be life-threatening small child. At worst, the cat will only scratch.
8. Both cats and dogs get sick, so you will have to spend money on a veterinarian.
9. The fur of both cats and dogs can cause allergies, and quite serious ones.
10. Both cats and dogs can cause infectious diseases in children, so they need to be kept perfectly clean.

Birds, fish, rodents for children

If there is neither the opportunity nor the desire to take to the house of cats and dogs, You can opt for birds. Often children are bought parrots or other birds. Of course, this is a good decision, because a living creature appears in the house, which is interesting to watch and which will teach the child to be responsible. But birds also have pros and cons.

1. They take up little space and are suitable for any apartment.
2. There is no need to walk them or change the potty.
3. They do not need to be bathed or combed.
4. You cannot play with them either at home or on the street.
5. They should almost never be petted or caressed.
6. They also litter.
7. They chirp and make noise.

Maybe it's better to take hamster or pet rat ? These animals have a lot of advantages, but they don’t have prestige, especially for a rat. They should be taken into the house only after the child’s firm consent. These fluffy balls are very funny, you can play with them, and you can pick them up. They are inexpensive and unpretentious in everyday life, which is also important for many families. And yet, they have their drawbacks.

They definitely need a place, preferably a large aquarium, so that they cannot leave it on their own.

1. They have a specific smell; you will have to clean their house every day.
2. They cannot be castrated, but offspring are produced with enviable regularity once every three months!
3. They live an average of only 3 years, and their death can be traumatic for a child.

It's even more difficult with fish. The aquarium needs to be cleaned and the water changed. Fish also get sick; they require constant enrichment of the water with air and special lighting. But they swim so beautifully, calming with their movement nervous system and bringing harmony. But does your baby need it? It is advisable to have fish if adults themselves love these creatures and are ready to take care of them. A child, even 10-12 years old, will not be able to independently carry out all the maintenance work.

So is it necessary to take an animal into your home?

To sum up all of the above, there is still no clear answer. On the one hand, children need to learn to take care of someone. And he needs a companion, especially if he is the only child in the family. On the other hand, for parents this is unnecessary trouble and financial costs. Well, those who resolve all these issues positively, with the appearance of an animal in the house There will be a lot of pleasant moments, gratitude and happiness for the child.

My arguments against pets

• The first, most weighty argument, and I have already outlined it, is that this is not an appropriate place to contain it. If you live in a private house, then, perhaps, it is simply logical for a dog and a cat to be in this house. A dog is needed to guard the house, a cat is needed to catch mice. In this case, there will be no problems with how, where and when these animals need to relieve themselves. They can do this without the help of their owners. In urban conditions, everything is not so - you need to constantly take care that the animal is in right time ended up on the street (sometimes this time is not at all favorable for the owner - say, three o'clock in the morning). Or you need to surround yourself with all sorts of devices, boxes, fillers, etc. - no one wants everyone to know by smell that there is a pet living in the apartment.

I agree, there is exceptional cases, when, for example, cats go to the toilet like people. For example, the cat who lives with my mother uses the toilet for this. But where is the guarantee that you will come across such a unique character?

• Children are not the most organized creatures in the world. Your child will assure you that he will relieve you of all the burden of responsibility for the animal, that he will certainly take care of it on his own, and will do everything necessary procedures- walk, feed, change bedding, etc. But, as a rule, all promises come to naught either immediately or over time, when the child has played enough or, disappointed, begins to shirk his direct responsibilities. And then the burden of caring for the poor animal falls on you. If at the same time you have children, a husband, work, household chores at home, for which you have little time for yourself! And then there's the pet. Do you need it?

In addition, children forget that, say, to walk the dog at three in the morning, if the dog really needs it, it’s not they who will go (who will let them go?), but their parents! Children also forget about the complex of measures necessary for the animal, which they cannot do without adults - vaccinations, castration, docking, and so on.

• The third argument, which is perhaps the most important for me personally, is moral aspect. What will happen to you and your child when the animal dies? After all, the lifespan of any pet is much shorter than that of a human. Therefore, you will have to face this in any case. What if an animal, God forbid, gets sick and dies not from old age, but due to illness, in the prime of life? Just imagine the trauma this episode will cause to a child in his life?

I had a story when I was a child. I was offered a tiny kitten. I don’t remember where his mother cat went, but the kitten came to me very emaciated. I spent half the night trying to feed him milk from a pipette. The kitten ate poorly, squeaked all the time... But by morning it died. My mother took him, wrapped in a rag, outside. And I cried for two days, blaming myself for not being able to save his life.

If you have an adequate, vulnerable child with a pure heart (I say this because there are still rare exceptions, but let’s not talk about them!), then I advise you one thing - do not give him pets, for his own good!

The way you can refuse is quite simple. Explain that adults set the rules in the family - this is the first thing. Secondly, according to parents, now is not the time to get pets. Try to make the above points as an argument. If the child is still small, then promise to raise this topic when the child gets older. Perhaps then he himself will lose the desire to have someone. If the child is persistent in his desires, then do not tell him a monosyllabic “No,” but sit down together, listen to his arguments why he needs to have a pet (which, as a rule, boil down to the banal “I just want”), and in response, try to explain most comprehensively why you are against. And since adults set the rules in the house, there can be no objections, and your answer was, according to at least, reasoned, and therefore needs to be treated with respect.