Thursday, October 20, 2016

Pets and Children

Children have an innate need to copy the action of their parents.

We see that very often don't we - When your child wants to wear your shoes and walk around? Or they want to pretend play with their kitchen sets, doctor sets, tool kits, shopping trolleys and so on.

They like to act out being the mother or father - and I have seen both girls and boys copying their parents, and enacting them in their play.

When they enact their roles as mother or father, wouldn't it be great if their pretend child responded to their love and affection? What if their pretend child also became their best friend?

A pet can help bring out the nourishing and tender love and care tendencies of a child, as the child gets a response to the love and affection they shower upon their pet.

Of course your pet has to be treated like a family member and not like a 'guard' or a 'toy' and neither must the child allowed to be rough with the pet.

If you have a happy, balanced relation with your pet, your child is going to love being with her/ him and it is going to have great benefits on both of their emotional and mental states.

Often the pet can be a savior as well. There was a time when my daughter used to eat only if I fed her while she fed the dog. And my dog also ate only when fed by my daughter :)

So getting a pet is great for your child as long as you are able to take good care of your pet!

[And by the way, please Adopt, Don't Buy Pets. There are many that are waiting for a great home and they are out on the streets or in an animal rescue center]

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