Caring for Pets Teaches Responsibility
At the best private schools in Orlando, we encourage your family to adopt a pet! Not only because they are cute and make good companions, but because having a pet teaches your child responsibility. By slowly increasing responsibility, your child's self-esteem will blossom. The entire family can work together to divvy up responsibilities, ensuring that everyone has a fair, age-appropriate workload.
Age-Appropriate Pets
If your child wants a pet, you’ll need to talk to him about the responsibilities prior to adoption. Start by explaining a pet is not a toy. A pet needs attention and love. Let’s start by discussing how you will choose a pet, then we will lead into the tasks for that age group.
Younger children: Younger children tend to put their hands in their mouths and eyes, so don’t give them the risky task of cleaning litter boxes. Risk-free responsibility for your younger child includes filling food bowls with fresh water and meals every day, brushing, grooming, and bathing with assistance, and putting away toys.
Older children: Whether it’s a cat, dog, hamster, or bird, an older child — about six or older — is able to choose his own pet. Before going to look at pets, make sure your child does research on the pet he wants. All parts of pet care can probably be assumed by an older child, including scooping litter and shoveling stool in the yard.
Empathy
Parenting a pet will teach your child to be empathetic towards others. Ask your child to pay attention to your pet’s mood and if it appears sick. If the pet isn’t eating or drinking, it’s time for you and your child to take it to the vet. Involving your child in the health and treatment aspects gives him a better understanding of what goes into caring for an animal.
Food
Food is a major task when you have a pet. Your child knows the feeling of being hungry, so he understands that the pet needs food. Depending on the type of animal, work with your child to determine how much and how often to feed it. Your child should also wash dishes for the pets.
Attention
All living beings need love, attention, and care. Your child may assume animals are playthings, but as a parent, you’ll need to explain that’s not the case. Explain that having a pet is like having another member of the family and that the commitment and companionship can span many years.
For more than 50 years, the best private schools in Orlando have been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today.