If you have a family, there are high chances you have a family pet as well. It’s part of the perfect packaged deal: kids we love and a pet to complete the circle in a cute and friendly ways. Dogs and cats can be our best friends, and having a hutch in the backyard means we have an excuse to spend a lot more time out there. That means that having a pet can teach us a lot more about ourselves, and allow us to brush up on our people skills. For children, this works in double time due to the developmental process. Here’s a few of the best talents a child can pick up from interacting with a four legged friend.
Plenty of Compassion
Guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters are some of the smallest creatures we can keep in our houses, and they’re cute and fluffy enough for a kid to love unconditionally. The bonding that can take place is one that’ll last forever, and offers a good model for any future friend making.
Sometimes our kids can surprise us, and the amount of empathy they can gain just from cleaning out a cage without being asked, or refilling bowls and water bottles is immense; it also teaches boundaries. Picking up these basic need skills can help them understand what they’re feeling better, and get them to be more considerate of others as well.
Responsibility
Self control is something we all need to get a little more of, and having a small furry friend who relies upon your for everything is a good way of learning this, and learning it fast. Even when you have healthy and natural treats to give out, like those of Betsy Farms, too many is still bad for your pet’s health.
A dog is one of the most reliant pets that you can have, and they love us with all of their pure hearts. However, kindness can sometimes go a little too far when we want to repay this devotion. Learning how to temper treat time allows kids to understand action consequences, and what they can do to avoid them in the first place.
A Few More Social Skills
We all talk to our pets, whether it be in a baby voice or a full blown conversation, so let your kids use this to their advantage. Having a dog can teach us how to interact with others, and when and where to smile, if you’re not very good at keeping that up. This works especially well for kids who are a bit lonelier, as sometimes a pet can be an only friend.
Coming home to a pet makes us feel happier and more comfortable when we’re around the house, so the same goes for when we’re outside. Taking a dog for a walk can give a kid a boost to their confidence as they have someone with them that they don’t have to interact with on a human skill, but can still practice on.