All parents will, at some point, ask – should we have a pet?
Pets can play an important role in your child’s development as well as provide a constant source of friendship and fun.
Whether it’s a dog, cat, or rabbit, involve your child in raising the animal. Caring for a four-legged friend will make your child feel important. It’s also a great opportunity to show your child the importance of caring for another creature. It offers many life lessons such as patience, kindness and attentiveness as well as respect for the animal. They learn to treat their pet kindly – a transferable skill reflected in how they treat people and their interpersonal relationships.
Like your child, the pet will have rules – he can’t do whatever he wants in the house either! Involve your child in the training process.
Having a pet will expose a child to the cycle of life and death as well. Often the pet will be the first loss the child will face in life. Pets teach children about mourning and how to cope with such emotions.
As an infant, your child can recognize his parents’ face; at five months, he can recognize his pet. Pets are a wonderful way to introduce your child to the wider world.