Is Having a Pet Good for Kids?
/If you are deciding whether to get a pet for your family, then you’ve come to the right place. There are many benefits for children! It can be easy for children to get all hyped up about the idea of owning a pet and having one in the home, but then it is best when parents make sure that it is a positive one for them, and to make sure that the pet gets all that they need. So although it is a family decision, the parents definitely need to be on-board.
Kids will tend to think of the fun benefits and the positives of having a pet. They’re not going to be thinking about training it or having to spend more each week as now dog food needs to be included. However, parents who are experienced with pets, and even ones who will be owning a pet for the first time, will know that there is a lot of patience, effort, money, and time that is involved with owning a pet. The payoff for all is that you get to have a companion and there is really an unconditional love that comes from a pet when it is looked after and cared for. It can be completely worth it for that reason alone.
Believe it or not, if children grow up in a home that has pets, particular ones that shed hair, like cats or dogs, then they grow up with less chance of developing allergies like asthma, as found in this article here: https://nhs.uk/dog-reduces-asthma-risk/. So if you yourself are prone to allergies and things like asthma, then it could be a consideration to help your children.
If you have a pet, especially a pet like a dog, then it will encourage the whole family to be more active. Dogs need to be walked, often a couple of times a day, and it will force you all to get out walking, whatever the weather. This can be a benefit for a number of reasons, including weight management, heart health, calorie-burning, and stress relief.
On a similar note, it has been found that pet owners, particularly owners of dogs like these, https://chocolatelabradorretriever.ca/, can reduce their blood pressure, just by playing with them. You get to have fun with a pet dog, and the play can be a great stress-reliever, and help to reduce blood pressure as a result. Dogs can also be great emotional support animals, which means that you and your children can feel happier mentally, as a result.
Having a pet teachers children a number of things, especially how to care for something else. Each member of the family can help with the pet in ways that are appropriate for their age, like taking them for a walk, giving them a bath, cuddling them, and brushing them, for example. These are great lessons for children to learn. On a slightly sombre note, having a pet that then passes away can be very upsetting, but equally, a very valuable learning lesson for the children, as teaching them about loss in a way that they can understand can be a great lesson for life.
Many studies in the past have shown that children who have pets often display improved social skills, impulse control, and self-esteem. There is something about having something to care for from a young age, that is going to make them a little more responsible, and less selfish. It can also teach them to have confidence and esteem in themselves, because they have the unconditional love of the pet, regardless of what is going on in school, for example.
Having a pet to cuddle can do a lot of things, and one of them is helping to control anxiety. This can be great for all members of the family, but especially children. Cuddling a pet can also help to reduce stress and loneliness. Even if children have friends and siblings, they can still feel lonely from time to time. Again, it is the unconditional love from a pet that can make all of the difference.
If you’ve had a pet with your children before, what else would you add to the list?
If you as a parent are thinking about a pet, but are sitting on the fence a little, then here are some positive reasons why it can be a good thing for a family, and for children to be around a pet. There are likely to be some that you won’t have thought of before, so on with the list: