Teaching Your Kids To Look After Their Pet
Getting a pet is one of the most exciting things that a young child can experience, especially if it’s their first pet and they’ve been begging for months to get a puppy or kitten.
Of course, most parents will only agree to get the pet for the kid if there are some promises made, such as being fully responsible for the animal.
But it’s just as important to take the time to teach the kids how to properly look after their new pet; how to feed it, make sure it’s properly trained, and that it’s always as safe as possible.
Here we will look at some effective methods of teaching kids how to care for their pet.
Let Them Help Choose
Although it can be a nice surprise for a kid to find out that there’s a new puppy waiting for them at home, it’s usually a better idea to take them along to the shelter and let them have some input on the choosing process.
The child, after all, will be spending a lot of their time with their pet, and they should be able to choose one that they’re naturally drawn to. It can also be a fun and exciting activity that will allow them to look through a variety of different animals and breeds.
Explain The Value Of Life
Young kids can have some trouble really grasping just how important it is to look after their pet, partly because they might not really value life as much as their parents do. It’s something that’s learnt over time, and it’s why having a pet can impart such important lessons to your kid.
On top of that, it can also help to sit down and explain that a pet is a long-term responsibility, and that you simply can’t just take it back once they’ve grown bored of it. Understanding how much care is required is an important step to take before even venturing out to the local shelter and looking for a pet.
Show Them How Things Work
It’s usually not enough to just tell your son or daughter how they should be looking after their new pet; they need to be shown. Visuals are a powerful medium for learning and being able to see how to make the dog its dinner, how to discipline it, and how to train it properly will prepare them for doing it by themselves much more comfortably.
They will learn through example, so setting the right example straight off the start can make a big difference, while helping them gain autonomy so you can enjoy your hobbies, such as playing the bingo Australia offers.
Stick To Their Limits
While your child might be able to do a lot for their pet, they can’t do anything, and it’s wrong to expect them to do things that are out of their control.
One of these is organising a vet if the animal gets sick; it’s something that a young child simply can’t do on their own and should not be part of their overall responsibilities.
