Having a pet with a kid in the house has a lot of benefits. Researchers found that it not only promotes a child's good mental health but benefits their motor skills as well. If you are worried about whether to get a pet or not, do not be. Getting a pet after becoming a parent or already having a pet is a good idea.
Here's why.
As keeping pets requires some kind of maintenance such as grooming, exercising, playing, etc. it gives a lot of opportunities for kids to take part in it and develop their motor skills. They become more physically active from handling the pets from a very young age.
Many responsibilities come with having pets in the house. Involving kids to take part in doing some of the tasks like bathing them, giving them food and water regularly, etc is a good way to make them responsible. By learning to be responsible about their pets, they also become responsible and learn to take care of themselves.
Taking care of pets instils empathy in the kids too. This way they become more considerate about others. This quality not only improves their social ability but also makes them more compassionate.
By doing the set tasks for their pets, kids also learn to enjoy a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. This builds self-esteem and joy in them which in turn makes them confident and happy.
Many kids have been seen having hearty conversations with their pets. They learn to talk about anything and everything with them. As pets can be good listeners, the kids feel comfortable and heard with them too. Although the pets provide a one-way verbal interaction, it could be quite useful for the kids to learn to be open.
It is important to discuss all the values and responsibilities of a pet if the child is above 5 years old. This makes them understand the process well and gets them interested in it too.