How to Teach Your Children to Be Responsible Pet Owners

Pet ownership is a big responsibility and teaching children how to look after their pets is a good place to start! When children reach school age this is usually a good time to introduce them to the joy and responsibilities of owning and caring for a pet. Very young children and pets are not always a good mix. Poking prodding fingers can make for very annoyed and irritated animals that may retaliate with a bite or scratch. Having a pet around the house can be lots of fun for older children. They can take on responsibilities such as grooming, feeding, exercising, entertaining and teaching their pet.

These responsibilities help children to understand the commitment needed to be a pet owner.Parents need to model appropriate care of animals too- so children can follow and learn what they need to do. Teach children how to be gentle with their pet by showing them how and where to pat animals. Generally not near an animal's face is a good idea. Children should also be taught to recognise the signs that their pet is hungry, angry, scared or tired and how to respond accordingly. For example-A dog shows he is happy by wagging his tail but will lay his ears back with his tail between his legs when he is angry or uptight. Teach children not to tease or taunt pets and to approach them gently.

In particular discourage children from approaching animals that are asleep, sick or eating. It is advisable to teach children to call their pets name when approaching them and to hold out their hand so pets can smell their scent. Have regular feeding times for pets so children can get into a routine. A chart is a great visual way of listing all of the pet jobs and whose responsibility each one is. Jobs such as filling up the pet's bowl with fresh water or cleaning out a litter box are simple everyday jobs that children can manage and can be responsible for. Take your child shopping to shop for pet items. Help them to clean out your pet's home and explain the importance of keeping their pet and its home clean and vermin-free. Talk to them about how important it is to take their pets to the vet for checkups and vaccinations, just as we visit the doctor. Explain that animals need exercise just as we do.

Finally all pets need lots of attention and love. Teaching your child about sensible pet ownership is a necessity and will hopefully ensure many years of happy pet relationships!

Christine S has been a Pre School teacher for 28 years and has a great deal of expertise in early childhood education. To find out more about pets please visit http://www.mycatiscoolerthanyou.com

5 Parenting Tips To Teach Children To Care For Pets

Having a pet at home is a wonderful experience be it a dog, a cat, a rabbit or a chick. Bonding with a pet can teach children about togetherness, love, attachment, compassion, empathy, responsibility, and sensitivity. But it takes effort on the part of parents to teach children to be kind to animals and how to care for them.

Occasionally there are some parents who don't feel the need to educate children about caring for animals, however, this is a mistake. Children who are cruel towards animals often turn to violence, aggression and animal cruelty. On the other hand, when you teach a child to be sensitive to animals, it benefits the child and society as a whole. After all, when we care about others and animals, then we make this world a better place to live in.

As parents, you need to make your children know that just like human beings, even animals have feelings. Here are a few tips for parents that will help you develop sensitivity in children toward animals.

1. Assign some chores to children

Give your child some duties regarding the pet. For instance, you can ask your child to feed the pet. This will instill a feeling of responsibility in your child. But make sure you assign those duties that your child can do easily. If you tell a 5 or 6 year child to clean the floor after the pet has made it dirty, you can't expect him to do such a wonderful job. You need to give children the tasks which they can handle on their own.

2. Involve your child in different activities

One of the best ways to teach your children to be gentle toward animals is to be loving toward your pet yourself. When your child will sees how you lovingly take care of the pet, she will eventually do the same. Involve your children in activities such as giving a bath to your dog, playing with your pet or take your child along when you take your pet out for a walk.

3. Encourage bonding between the child and pet

Encourage your children to play with the pet. Teach them how to carefully hold the small animals in their arms. In short, encourage children to bond with the animals.

4. Encourage empathy toward all animals

Caring for animals should not be restricted only to the pets at home. Compassion should be extended to other animals as well. When raising children with compassion and caring, take your children to the Zoo, aquariums or a natural park or even the local animal shelter and encourage kids to donate pet foods there.

5. Talk to your child

Most importantly, regularly talk to your child about the importance of being sensitive toward animals. And read them good books in which you find interesting animal characters, take children to watch good, non-violent animal-based movies or show them motivational videos which, with the help of beautiful pictures and inspirational quotes, tell children how important it is to care for animals.

Good parenting advice on raising children with empathy and kindness always guides parents on helping their kids learn the values of compassion and charity. When you join your child in developing a bond with animals and pets, you also create a beautiful and strong parent child relationship.

Noah Brown is a freelance writer who writes extensively about motivational videos which offer parenting advice on raising children. She has written several enlightening articles on inspirational quotes and videos which offer good parenting help on how to strengthen child parent relationship.

How to Teach Your Children to Be Responsible Pet Owners

Pet ownership is a big responsibility and teaching children how to look after their pets is a good place to start! When children reach school age this is usually a good time to introduce them to the joy and responsibilities of owning and caring for a pet. Very young children and pets are not always a good mix. Poking prodding fingers can make for very annoyed and irritated animals that may retaliate with a bite or scratch. Having a pet around the house can be lots of fun for older children. They can take on responsibilities such as grooming, feeding, exercising, entertaining and teaching their pet.

These responsibilities help children to understand the commitment needed to be a pet owner.Parents need to model appropriate care of animals too- so children can follow and learn what they need to do. Teach children how to be gentle with their pet by showing them how and where to pat animals. Generally not near an animal's face is a good idea. Children should also be taught to recognise the signs that their pet is hungry, angry, scared or tired and how to respond accordingly. For example-A dog shows he is happy by wagging his tail but will lay his ears back with his tail between his legs when he is angry or uptight. Teach children not to tease or taunt pets and to approach them gently.

In particular discourage children from approaching animals that are asleep, sick or eating. It is advisable to teach children to call their pets name when approaching them and to hold out their hand so pets can smell their scent. Have regular feeding times for pets so children can get into a routine. A chart is a great visual way of listing all of the pet jobs and whose responsibility each one is. Jobs such as filling up the pet's bowl with fresh water or cleaning out a litter box are simple everyday jobs that children can manage and can be responsible for. Take your child shopping to shop for pet items. Help them to clean out your pet's home and explain the importance of keeping their pet and its home clean and vermin-free. Talk to them about how important it is to take their pets to the vet for checkups and vaccinations, just as we visit the doctor. Explain that animals need exercise just as we do.

Finally all pets need lots of attention and love. Teaching your child about sensible pet ownership is a necessity and will hopefully ensure many years of happy pet relationships!

Christine S has been a Pre School teacher for 28 years and has a great deal of expertise in early childhood education. To find out more about pets please visit http://www.mycatiscoolerthanyou.com