Preparing Your Child For Responsible Pet Ownership

By Elizabeth Summers / December 22, 2021 / No comments
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Children that grow up amongst pets and animals are found to be much more adjusted to the progression of life than children who never do, and that’s because we learn something from every pet we hold. No matter if you love cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, or even stock a mini-aquarium in your living space, taking care of and loving a pet is a great way to add some love and light to your life.

This is also true of children who reach a given age where the supervised care of a certain pet can help them not only spread that love, but learn much about being responsible and caring for another living thing.

Preparing your child for responsible pet ownership, then, requires a few considerations to be set in stone, and the ability to properly level with our child about what this means. After all, like they say, a puppy is not just a gift for Christmas, but for life. In this post, we’ll give a few tidbits of advice to help you in the right direction:

Worthwhile Communication

It’s important to make sure you’re able to communicate with your child about what to expect, as in the highs and the lows of acquiring a pet. For instance, if bringing a hamster home, it’s important the child knows that they have relatively short life spans, around two years, and so caring for them and giving them a fun life is important. Starter pets that grow with your child can also be worthwhile, such as the 8-12 years a rabbit offers. Telling your child what you expect from them, such as cleaning a hutch or enclosure and replacing water and food (under your supervision), is also key. This way, they can emotionally and mentally prepare for this responsibility.

Careful Cleaning Guides

It’s a worthwhile idea to break down the habitat cleaning process bit by bit so that your child understands it. Writing this down and placing it as a poster in their room can help. When committing to this care, this may entail replacing the sawdust, cleaning the bowls, safely disposing of the previous bedding, and cleaning the hutch with a non-toxic solution, as well as using proper safety precautions such as latex gloves, which you can purchase from online stores like Unigloves.

Tools & Equipment

The tools and equipment you use can help a child more easily care for their pet. This might involve non-toxic cleaning products you can help them use when cleaning down a hutch or a cage, separate cages they can use to temporarily place the pet in while cleaning, garbage bags to help safely and cleanly dispose of waste, and scoops for food or easy sponge cleaners for water bowls or bottles. Even seemingly easy to take care of pets, like fish, can come with their own unique needs; you may find that you need to buy distilled water uk in order to top up the tank in order to make sure that the water is the best it can possibly be for the fish. Getting to grips with the equipment that an animal needs can help your child feel familiar with the process of caring for a pet at every level, so that they not only feel a sense of love for them, but responsibility too.

With this advice, you’re sure to prepare your child for responsible pet ownership, starting them out with a small beginner pet they’re sure to build memories with and learn much from.