Children's love for pets is instinctive, especially dogs and cats.
This justifies the insistence of young people to acquire and raise animals inside the house.
Studies show that pets can benefit children in a number of ways, such as reducing stress, and can even help children develop social and emotional skills.
Although research on human-animal interaction is still relatively new, preliminary studies have shown that pets can reduce cortisol levels, reduce loneliness, enhance mood, and increase feelings of social support.
So when thinking about raising a pet at home, parents may wonder is it worth the time and effort, and how much will your children really benefit from owning a pet?
pet benefits
"A pet is a child's potential best friend," says Dr. Rustin Moore, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University.
Moore explains that children between the ages of 7 and 8 consider their pets a source of comfort.
Wiping on the fur or holding the animal has a very calming effect on babies (pixels).
The following is a set of benefits that your children can get when owning a pet:
reduce stress
Pets can be a great stress reliever for a child.
Apart from the love and companionship that children instinctively provide, there are physiological changes that occur within a child when he is petted or played with his pet.
“Handling a pet has been shown to decrease the stress hormone cortisol and increase the release of dopamine and oxytocin, which are anti-stress or feel-good hormones, especially oxytocin,” says Dr. Moore.
"We see this happen when holding a pet, petting it, or even just being around it," he added.
relieve loneliness
Pets often act as loyal friends for your child, they do not hurt your child's feelings and do not exclude or ignore him.
Hence, owning a pet can also relieve loneliness, especially for children who have a problem making friends.
It is especially common for young children to talk about their lives and interests or share secrets with their pets.
When they have a pet, they feel like they always have someone to talk to.
Feeling sympathy and compassion
Pets mainly depend on humans for their care.
She cannot make her own food or refill her water bowl.
She even depends on others for her leisure or daily walk like dogs.
Because she is dependent on others to take care of her, this often elicits sympathy and compassion in children.
Children learn to look around and outside their own interests. They learn to be selfish and respect other forms of life, so they can talk about how their pet feels when it is being ignored or forgotten.
Or they may discuss feeling hungry or cold.
The first step in building empathy and compassion, pets are a great way to convey emotional intelligence.
Kids know their pet loves them no matter what.
Animals don't care what a child is wearing or what the pixels look like.
Improve reading skills
Learning to read is not an easy task, especially for children who struggle with it.
Once a parent or any other person asks the child to read any text.
They worry about sounds and the correct pronunciation of letters and words, but if you ask a child to read to a pet, some of that stress and anxiety goes away, says Dr. Moore.
Plus, kids are excited to read to their pets because it doesn't feel like homework.
They will show their pet pictures of the book and talk to them about the story.
Reading to their pet becomes something they look forward to.
"Of course, animals can't understand what you're saying, but the practice of reading to them boosts a child's self-confidence," Dr. Moore said.
Unconditional love
Children know that their pet loves them no matter what happens, the animal does not care what the child wears or how it looks, he loves him exactly as he is, which enhances the child's confidence in himself as well, and teaches him not to judge others or put them in fixed molds.
teaches responsibility
Every parent knows that teaching children how to take responsibility is not an easy task.
Children will also learn that owning a pet is not something to be taken lightly and that it is a huge responsibility.
Exercise and reduce hyperactivity
Owning a pet can also encourage the child to exercise and move around.
Pets can also help active or hyperactive children burn off excess energy.
Pets can also help active or hyperactive children burn off excess energy (pixels).
Helping children with neurological disorders
Stroking the fur or holding the animal has a very calming effect on babies.
It has become clear that pet ownership positively affects many mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and autism.
Factors to consider before raising a pet
It is also important to consider the factors that make pet ownership beneficial and challenging for your family, such as the type of animal, the age of your children, the lifestyle in general, and whether or not the home is suitable for raising a pet.
For example, do you live in a tall building or a house with a large yard?
Do you have only one child or several children?
Do you rarely go out or travel a lot?
Are you willing to follow up regularly with the veterinarian to provide the necessary health care and vaccinations for the animal.
Consult your doctor if a family member suffers from immunodeficiency, hyperactivity or autism and other diseases and disorders, to take the necessary precautions and choose the appropriate animal, this individual may need a service dog trained to deal with the blind, people with disorders and the elderly and not just a regular dog .
Finally, getting a pet should not be a hasty decision.
Deciding to adopt a pet should be something the family considers carefully.
Also, owning a pet is not a substitute for good parenting.
Yes, owning a pet offers some learning opportunities, but you don't have to own a pet and then lay all the responsibility on your children, and as a parent, you still need to go with them and make sure everything is going right between them and their pet.