In many families, pets appeared long before the birth of children. With the arrival of a baby at home, many parents, faced with the difficulties of caring for him, often think about rebuilding their pets into new "good hands". But can such a decision always be useful for the family?
Living under the same roof for children and animals has many positive and negative aspects. Therefore, before making any decision, it is necessary to consider the problem from all sides.
Children and animals: the pros
For several millennia, pets have served people faithfully. According to the results of a survey conducted among children 6-7 years old, 97% of young respondents believe that their pets are one of the important components of their life. At the same time, most children associate dogs with dads, since they consider them their protectors, and cats with mothers, since they, in their opinion, are affectionate. Among the positive aspects of cohabitation of children and pets, experts highlight the following:
- Strengthening the health of children. Children growing up with pets have stronger immune systems and are less likely to get sick.
- A positive effect on the child's psyche. A child who plays with his pet or just strokes it releases endorphins, resulting in joy and happiness. And this, in turn, affects the human psyche.
- Children perceive their pets as true loyal friends. Children are happy to play with their pets, perceiving them as equals. Such a pastime has a positive effect on the development of the child: he learns to interact, communicate, he gains self-confidence, and self-esteem rises.
- Pets teach children to be responsible. A child living under the same roof with an animal understands that there is a category of those living beings that needs his care. Over time, such a child will learn to take care of the pet himself. Having the simplest habits of caring for others will enable a child to become a responsible adult and a worthy parent in the future.
- Pets help toddlers develop speech. Many speech therapists and psychologists note that children who constantly interact with animals develop better speech. And if a child suffering from a delay in the development of speech gets a talking parrot, then he will speak faster than in the office of a speech therapist.
Children and animals: cons
Like any phenomenon, the cohabitation of children and pets has negative aspects. Basically, they are associated with the burden of responsibility that falls on the shoulders of parents:
- Pets can cause some diseases. More often than not, the real reason families have to part with their pets is because children are severely allergic to animal hair or saliva.
- The need to devote more time to education. The safety of both children and animals is the result of education. Parents will have to devote a lot of time to raising a child, explaining to him the rules of safe interaction with animals, and an animal, accustoming him to life with a new family member.
- High hygiene requirements. To protect your child from pet-borne diseases, you need to clean the premises twice as often. It is also necessary to wash pets more often, to carry out preventive treatment against parasites in time.
- Short lifespan of pets. Unfortunately, some pets live very little compared to humans. And explaining to a child where his beloved hamster disappeared is very difficult, and requires tremendous mental strength.
It should be noted that the main moral and ethical example for children is their parents. If parents allow themselves to be cruel and irresponsible to pets, then they simply have no right to demand that the child comply with the norms and requirements of morality.
