How pets benefit child development

27th February 2017

Having a pet can benefit your child’s development, personally, physically and emotionally, as they will learn about birth, death and everything else in-between. Your child will learn responsibilities over time which are essential for confidence-building and emotional maturity.

This article will look into the different ways pets can benefit child development, helping them to grow emotionally and boost their self-esteem.

Teaches the value of responsibility

Learning to share responsibilities encourages families to work together, providing an emotional sphere and involvement around the new addition to the family. A “shared” pet is an ideal opportunity to allocate jobs, such as feeding and walking, to ensure your new family member is well looked after. Any child will quickly come to understand that a pet is more than just for play and will be involved personally for the welfare of their pet. It’s beneficial for a child to understand what a certain animal eats, how much and how many times in a day.

They will understand that, like humans, they too will drink water and must have a constant supply, whilst pets, unlike humans, will not be able to tell you when they are thirsty. With an action plan in place your child will understand the rules and will ultimately boost their confidence knowing they are relied on.

Pets in their infancy can be a handful because they need to be taught to sit, stay and where to go to the toilet. These basic rules will give your child a sense of accomplishment and pride when their dog finally understands basic commands.

Reduces stress levels

Studies have shown that grooming pets can reduce stress levels and comfort children, so not only will this keep a pet looking and smelling great but will also reduce any stress your child may have. For children who are “less-popular” at school, a child can benefit from confiding and trusting their pets. A loyal companion is a positive reinforcement that’ll keep a child motivated in many aspects of their lives.

With this in mind it has become well known that children feel happier reading aloud to animals because of their innocent non-judgemental nature, thus boosting their confidence and enabling them to relax and unwind whilst learning is in progress. This new-found confidence should stay with them later on in life when they have to give presentations, go to interviews and generally present themselves to new opportunities.

Helps your child learn about the cycle of life

As your child grows up, their pet will too. Unfortunately, pets have shorter life spans which means your child will have to experience death for the first time, vital in childhood/teenage years. Although death can be distressing, this is a way of helping them learn about the cycle of life. In return, they are prepared for any sad events that may occur in future.

Career aspirations

Nurturing a pet from infancy, feeding, walking and looking after them when they are ill might lead them into a future career of animal care. Aspiring to something later on in life will encourage them to work hard and set goals to achieve a career as a vet, zoologist or any other animal related jobs that they desire.

Here at Tiny World Day Nurseries, we use our wealth of industry experience to allow your child to develop as best they can. We wish to share our knowledge and encourage them to explore their interests and hobbies to their utmost potential in hope that they follow their dreams. To find out more or to arrange a tour of our premises, please do not hesitate to get in touch – we’d love to hear from you!