| "Can I have a puppy? Please, oh please, I'll take care | | | | whole family. How do they feel about yapping dogs, |
| of it and look after it and everything" | | | | hair shedding Persian cats, squawking parrots? If one |
| Just what do you say to your kids when they ask | | | | of your children is allowed their very own pet |
| for a pet? It is perfectly true that growing up with a | | | | hamster, will all of the child's siblings demand a pet of |
| family pet can teach children responsibility and to | | | | their own too? Does anybody in the family suffer |
| develop their social skills. Also cultivating good feelings | | | | with an allergy that would make sharing their home |
| towards pet animals helps kids to develop a sense of | | | | with a certain animal intolerable? |
| self esteem and help them to establish trusting | | | | Is the type of animal your child is asking for suitable |
| relationships with other human beings. But before you | | | | for your family, and your family's life style? A dog |
| give in to your kid's demands for a pony, rabbit, | | | | that needs two trips to the park every single day |
| salamander, kitten, boxer, python, or macaw, there is | | | | may not be suitable for a family who is away from |
| plenty for you to consider. | | | | the house all day. And no matter how much the child |
| The first thing to keep in mind is that no matter how | | | | promises that they will walk the dog, there will be |
| much your kid promises that she or he will be the | | | | times that they will fail to do so, (and times that you |
| one to take care of the pet, some if not all of that | | | | may not want them to, after dark for example). |
| responsibility will fall upon you. That is an inevitable, | | | | Choosing pets for kids is not easy, often the type of |
| inescapable fact. No matter how good the child's | | | | pet that they plead for would not be the best match |
| intention is, there will be some, and perhaps many, | | | | for their age and experience with animals. |
| occasions when other things take priority in their | | | | You should also consider cost. Not only the cost of |
| minds and the pet is unintentionally neglected. That is, | | | | acquiring a pet, but more importantly the cost of |
| the pet would be neglected if you were not there to | | | | taking care of it. All animals involve a financial |
| step in, because somebody has to. | | | | commitment, food, vet bills, pet care products etc. |
| Secondly a child may sincerely believe that the thing | | | | You don't want to acquire a pet for your kid only to |
| that they most want in the world is a cute little black | | | | find that you don't have the financial means to keep |
| and white kitten, just like their best friend of the | | | | it. Small pets for kids often have less costs involved |
| moment has. The child has really convinced | | | | in looking after them than larger pets do. |
| themselves that they want a kitten, and a kitten will | | | | There are many other things to consider when |
| hold their interest for ever and ever. And so it would, | | | | choosing pets for kids, but hopefully this short article |
| until their new best friend of next week gets a pet | | | | will have prompted you to think about the fact that |
| lizard which is just sooo cool. So you will want to | | | | buying an animal for a child, is not the same thing as |
| make absolutely sure that the pet that your child is | | | | buying a kid a cell phone or a bicycle. Pets are living |
| demanding will be a long term passion, and not just a | | | | breathing creatures, they need care, they need |
| fleeting interest. | | | | commitment, they need love. |
| It will be a good idea to discuss the idea with the | | | | |