About This Lesson
While pets should never be used as babysitters, they can play a big role in helping parents with childcare. In fact, parents report that kids who grow up with pets are often happier, healthier, and more responsible. Just how does the family dog help raise great kids?
1. Dogs Can Help Clean Up After Messy Kids
Let's start with a serious benefit of having dogs with children that non-dog people just don't understand. Kids are messy. They drop food, spill drinks, and, much like in the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, can sometimes be tracked down by their trail of crumbs. And dogs are excellent at cleaning up little messes that kids leave behind and, now be honest, you'll take any help you can get here. A pet dog is like having a four-legged carpet sweeper at your service.
2. Dogs Teach Responsibility in a Fun Way
Dogs get to turn kids' secret weapons against them. You know the pleading look, the one that begs, "Please, Please, Can We Go for a Walk?" even when you are exhausted. The look you can't refuse and your dog knows it. That same look works on kids, too, and your family pet knows how to wield it with authority. In doing so, they teach kids about responsibility and taking care of someone else. And that's a huge bonus for parents.
Once the novelty of a new puppy wears off, kids will still have to walk, feed, and care for their dog. Although younger children should not be asked to care for a pet entirely on their own, they can be in charge of individual shores, like getting out of bed to fill up the food bowl. Let them help make a stop dog itching home remedy to soothe itchy skin. There are plenty of small tasks kids can take charge of to learn responsibility.
If you decide to adopt a dog from an animal shelter, the experience can open your child's eyes to the situation of homelessness, raising their social awareness.
3. They Are Excellent Companions
Your kids won't need imaginary friends because their K9 companions will be with them day in and day out. When they trip and fall, Fido will be there to share a sad and knowing look, kiss the scrape, and encourage them to get back up. That doesn't mean you are off the booboo-kissing hook, just that you can get an occasional reprieve while the family pet is teaching your child about compassion and empathy.
Dogs offer unconditional love to their families, and that helps kids learn about trust and being able to depend on others. Having a non-judgemental companion to come home to after a bad day at school can be a lifeline for children struggling to make friends or fit in. Studies have shown that pets are linked to improved social skills like empathy and compassion, as well as higher levels of self-esteem. No matter your age, pets are known to reduce stress and anxiety and help you overcome symptoms of some common mental health disorders.
4. They Serve as Living Alarm System so You Can Rest
Long before video baby monitors and Ring cameras were a feature of homes, dogs served to keep watch over their families. A bonded dog will alert you to potential danger. That might be an intruder, but it could just as likely be a snake in the backyard or a pot forgotten on the stovetop. There are countless stories of dogs alerting parents to children who were in danger. Specially trained assistance dogs can also help calm children with autism or alert them to fluctuating blood sugar levels or an oncoming seizure.
5. Dogs Teach Life Lessons
This can be a tough one, but every person needs to learn it. Life can be short, and death is just another part of it. No matter how much you love and care for them, your pet will eventually make their grand exit. Let this be a learning experience that allows your child to learn about loss, love, and moving on. It will be difficult now, but they will value the lesson later.
Having a dog is a huge responsibility, and it's one you shouldn't take on if you aren't fully committed to it. If you are, though, there are so many rewards for you and your family. They can help with basic child care chores, sure, but they can also help you raise responsible and well-adjusted kids.
