Kids and Pets

Having animals in the home can have a significant impact on the development of children. Pets can serve a wide range of purposes and roles for a growing child. From a teacher to best friend, animals can teach kids a multitude of life lessons throughout their lives. A growing child can benefit in so many ways from domestic animals, including physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Physical

Physical activity is a vital aspect of a healthy lifestyle, no matter what age a person is. Starting kids off early with this concept is very important because they will begin to adapt habits that will stick throughout their lives.

Pets are an easy way to get kids moving. Between playing, feeding, and cleaning up after them, children will be constantly burning energy following their favorite critter around.

Domestic animals are also a good way to help young children develop their motor skills. By petting and playing with pets, kids are learning how to effectively move their bodies, which is a key aspect of development.

Comfort contact is another idea that can be satisfied with domestic animals. Just as young monkeys have been shown to do, children gravitate towards soft and fuzzy surfaces, like dogs, cats, and other common pets. This need for touch can be fulfilled with the addition of an animal in the home.

Mental

Each new experience in a young child's life will give them the opportunity to develop their life skills. Pets are a great way to gain responsibility, respect for others and for nature, and to become aware of the lessons of life.

Because pets have needs that have to be taken care of, kids can learn the skill of integrity quickly and take on some of those responsibilities. This can also help children come to the realization that they also have needs that are being taken care of by their parents or guardians. While this idea is not realized until later in the development of children, pets may help kids get a grasp of this sooner.

With domestic animals, children are forced to grasp concepts that they might not otherwise be exposed to. Mortality is one of the biggest ideas that kids may have to face in the life of their pets. When they get sick, run away, get older, or die, children will have to adjust to the situation and hopefully learn these essential aspects of life that they, too, will eventually face.

Emotional

Childhood is the stage of life where we grow and develop more than any other time. While physical and mental abilities are often the main focus, emotional development cannot be overlooked. As kids, we learn about emotions, how they affect our life, and how to control them.

Pets are great teachers of these lessons for children. When kids get sad or frustrated, they can talk to their animals and have a safe place to express their feelings, while also learning that expressing themselves is important. They can also learn the power of love and friendship. Childhood pets are often one of the strongest emotional bonds that form during this time in life.

Being exposed to animals during childhood can have a wide array of benefits for kids. There are so many life lessons that can be learned from a young age through domestic animals. Between the physical, mental, and emotional impact of pets, parents should be jumping at the opportunity to further their child's development.