Before hating on the idea of having a pet at your house, think of all the benefits raising a pet could help in your child’s development.
While educational games and children TV shows help your little ones exercise their brain and motor skills, a human being is not just brain.
Kids, no matter their age, flourish on different levels and in a variety of fields. From physical activity to social skills, taking care of a pet will transform your kid’s personality and perspective on life and responsibilities.
Let’s discover what a tiny animal can do to your child, and vice versa.
Physical
1. In a 2010 study published by the American Public Health Association, physical activity and dog ownership show a correlation every kid needs. According to APHA, kids of a dog owner family have a higher physical activity level (3 or more days of activity) and are exposed to more sunlight.
2. Your child’s chances of developing allergies go down by 33%.
3. Owning pets and taking care of them proves to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, anxiety, and speed up recovery time; which eventually lead to lower chances of having a heart attack.
Emotional
1. Some kids are emotionally distressed or face difficulties expressing their feelings. When raising a pet, kids learn to confide in animals easier and faster than in humans. Pets are loving creatures with no conditions or judgment, which means children will not fear to talk to their pet.
2. Self-esteem and self-confidence will elaborate as kids learn to be more responsible by taking care of animals. They will understand that animals, just like humans, need to eat, drink, shower, feel loved, and play/exercise. When a kid is given the task to raise a pet, they will feel more confident as the parent (role model) is trusting them with such a responsibility.
3. Empathy. What a greater thing to teach a young kid than to learn to feel with other living creatures? Empathy helps kids drift away from being bullies and aggressive with other kids.
4. Kids will be able to cope with and comprehend the idea of loss and death. When a pet goes missing or dies, a child will deconstruct the situation and learn to accept this concept.
Social
1. As kids don’t often find it easy to converse with other kids, having a pet at home opens a door to social skills. When seeing a kid walking or playing with a pet, your kid – who is already used to animals – will find it easier to approach the former.
2. Kids often talk to animals as you see them do so with their toys. This develops the kid’s “cognitive language skill” and offers a “verbal stimulus” which will be a sort of practice to talking and socializing with humans.
3. By raising a pet, kids and their curiosity will be directed to learning more about them. They will read about the reproductive system, birth, the pet’s origins, types of illnesses, and such. This interest will materialize in conversation openers, fascination and inquisitiveness towards science and research, and in better grades at school.