Why Pets Are Good For Kids

by Irina Kozlova February 20, 2017

written by Irina Kozlova February 20, 2017

3K

We can all agree that pets are good for the soul. They comfort us, make us laugh, are ALWAYS happy to see us and love us unconditionally. As it turns out, they’re pretty good for children too. Read on to find out more about why pets are good for kids.

Get outdoors!

Pets provide a great stimulus to encourage children to run, throw balls, play and get outdoors! All too often these days, children lead a sedentary life and spend too much time indoors. With a dog to walk or a game of fetch to play, children spend more time outside with their four legged friend and less in front of the TV! Smaller children can develop fine motor skills by helping scoop a pet’s food, throw toys and help with grooming.

Relationship builder

Studies suggest that children believe pets to be better confidantes than humans and take comfort in having a four-legged friend to talk to. If there is more than one child in the home, pets can contribute to a strong bond between siblings as they have a shared interest and love for the animal.

Pets can be a great conversation starters for both adults and children. A child is more likely to approach and interact with another child if they are playing with a pet as the animal becomes a shared interest and topic of conversation.

Responsibility

Everyone knows that caring for an animal has a certain level of responsibility. Most parents have heard the assurances of “I’ll walk it EVERY day, I promise!!” or “I’ll feed it myself. You won’t have to do anything! I swear!!”. Adding a new furry family member and making children stick to their promises teaches a very valuable life lesson – we have certain responsibilities which we must take care of, no matter what else is going on in our lives.

Be gentle!

Caring for a pet teaches children to respect all animals and treat them with kindness and compassion. It is important to teaching them to:

Be gentle when stroking pets
Always approach an animal from the side rather than behind (to avoid the pet being taken by surprise)
Avoid picking up and carrying the pet around all the time – remember that it is an animal and not a cuddly toy!
Understand that sometimes animals need some time alone and do not want constant interaction, no matter how much they may love their tiny owners!

If you’re worried about the limits having a pet could place on your family in terms of going on holiday or long family days out, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. You can Book a Mad Paws Sitter to take care of your new family member whilst you’re away!