10 THINGS TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT A NEW PET
If you're a parent, you've probably heard pleas from your kids to get a family pet. And while bringing a new animal into the family can be rewarding, fun and exciting, there can be a steep learning curve when the pet first arrives.
We recently talked to three experts on the subject -- an animal welfare scientist, an animal behaviorist and a marriage and family therapist -- for their top tips on adding a new pet to the family. Here is their advice for making kids, parents and pets feel safe, comfortable and happy.
What To Teach Your Children
1. Be gentle and calm. Before the pet arrives, practice greeting the pet gently and calmly with your children. So many kids shriek and scream with excitement as they run up to dogs or cats, but children should be taught not to run up to any animal, either their own pet or one in public. When they approach any animal, it should be in a calm manner, talking to the animal in a nice voice. Children can be taught with supervision, to call a puppy or kitten to come to them.
2. Understand that the dog or cat isn't a toy. Although they may be soft and furry like a favorite stuffed animal, it's important that your child understand that the pet needs to be treated like a real member of the family. You should sit down with your child and practicing how to best pet and interact with the new addition to the family, reminding them that this is a real animal and will be much different than a toy. Children should always softly pet the puppy or kitten with no pulling or tugging allowed.
3. Make sure there's an adult is around when they play with the pet. This can be a tough one to enforce in a busy household, we know, but it is one of the first things you should teach. Things can go wrong pretty quickly between an inquisitive young child and an animal.
4. Respect the pet's basic needs and moods. Your children should learn that just as with a human baby, young animals need lots of rest. Tell them to not bother a puppy or kitten when it's sleeping or resting, and if the pet walks away from play, assure them that the pet just needs a break. Children need to learn how to tell when the pet wants to interact and is relaxed and happy, and when the animal is less happy or wants to go and do something else.
5. Do pet chores. A great way to give your children a sense of responsibility, is to have the entire family help with the pet. Consider holding a family meeting where each family member has a specific task for the week. Each week, mix up the duties (always make sure the child can reasonably complete the task, even if it's just for a couple times a week), so that everyone is engaged and no one's chore gets "forgotten."
6. Treat animals the way they themselves would like to be treated. Sometimes children lash out with a kick or a shove against their parents or siblings and there is the risk that kid might do the same thing to express anger against a pet. Explain that all animals want to feel safe and loved, just like humans. Pets do not like being teased with words, toys or food, and you should teach your child to never hit, kick or strike your pet.
7. Realize the new pet will be annoying at times. Help your child understand that bringing an animal home isn't just fun, it's also a bit life-changing, almost like adding a new child to the family. Set up the expectation that this new family member will require extra attention from mommy and daddy, as it's just a baby and needs extra care.
8. Understand the dog or cat might play favorites. Sometimes a new puppy or kitty may seem to prefer one person in the family over another, and this can lead to hurt feelings by the other family members. Ask your little ones to be patient as the pet may take awhile to come around.
9. Help keep the pet safe. Teach your child that they need to keep their eyes open to make sure the pet stays safe from everyday household dangers like foods they shouldn't be eating or gates in the yard that don't close all the way. It is the entire family's responsibility to take care of the new pet and to give it a loving and happy home, says Burch.
10. Empathize with the animal. It's not enough to pet the cat gently or keep from yelling at the dog, (although those are good habits to master), children should be taught to try and look at things through the pet's eyes, especially when it first comes home. The more they think about things from the dog or cat's perspective, the better a pet sibling they will be.
And, of course, the best thing to teach your child is how awesome and rewarding having a pet in the family can be for both you and them.!
We recently talked to three experts on the subject -- an animal welfare scientist, an animal behaviorist and a marriage and family therapist -- for their top tips on adding a new pet to the family. Here is their advice for making kids, parents and pets feel safe, comfortable and happy.
What To Teach Your Children
1. Be gentle and calm. Before the pet arrives, practice greeting the pet gently and calmly with your children. So many kids shriek and scream with excitement as they run up to dogs or cats, but children should be taught not to run up to any animal, either their own pet or one in public. When they approach any animal, it should be in a calm manner, talking to the animal in a nice voice. Children can be taught with supervision, to call a puppy or kitten to come to them.
2. Understand that the dog or cat isn't a toy. Although they may be soft and furry like a favorite stuffed animal, it's important that your child understand that the pet needs to be treated like a real member of the family. You should sit down with your child and practicing how to best pet and interact with the new addition to the family, reminding them that this is a real animal and will be much different than a toy. Children should always softly pet the puppy or kitten with no pulling or tugging allowed.
3. Make sure there's an adult is around when they play with the pet. This can be a tough one to enforce in a busy household, we know, but it is one of the first things you should teach. Things can go wrong pretty quickly between an inquisitive young child and an animal.
4. Respect the pet's basic needs and moods. Your children should learn that just as with a human baby, young animals need lots of rest. Tell them to not bother a puppy or kitten when it's sleeping or resting, and if the pet walks away from play, assure them that the pet just needs a break. Children need to learn how to tell when the pet wants to interact and is relaxed and happy, and when the animal is less happy or wants to go and do something else.
5. Do pet chores. A great way to give your children a sense of responsibility, is to have the entire family help with the pet. Consider holding a family meeting where each family member has a specific task for the week. Each week, mix up the duties (always make sure the child can reasonably complete the task, even if it's just for a couple times a week), so that everyone is engaged and no one's chore gets "forgotten."
6. Treat animals the way they themselves would like to be treated. Sometimes children lash out with a kick or a shove against their parents or siblings and there is the risk that kid might do the same thing to express anger against a pet. Explain that all animals want to feel safe and loved, just like humans. Pets do not like being teased with words, toys or food, and you should teach your child to never hit, kick or strike your pet.
7. Realize the new pet will be annoying at times. Help your child understand that bringing an animal home isn't just fun, it's also a bit life-changing, almost like adding a new child to the family. Set up the expectation that this new family member will require extra attention from mommy and daddy, as it's just a baby and needs extra care.
8. Understand the dog or cat might play favorites. Sometimes a new puppy or kitty may seem to prefer one person in the family over another, and this can lead to hurt feelings by the other family members. Ask your little ones to be patient as the pet may take awhile to come around.
9. Help keep the pet safe. Teach your child that they need to keep their eyes open to make sure the pet stays safe from everyday household dangers like foods they shouldn't be eating or gates in the yard that don't close all the way. It is the entire family's responsibility to take care of the new pet and to give it a loving and happy home, says Burch.
10. Empathize with the animal. It's not enough to pet the cat gently or keep from yelling at the dog, (although those are good habits to master), children should be taught to try and look at things through the pet's eyes, especially when it first comes home. The more they think about things from the dog or cat's perspective, the better a pet sibling they will be.
And, of course, the best thing to teach your child is how awesome and rewarding having a pet in the family can be for both you and them.!