The Value of Pets

October 2007

Are your kids begging you for a dog, cat or goldfish? This month Nurse Rona Renner, host of the radio show Childhood Matters and the parenting expert for the Bay Area Discovery Museum, looks at the benefits of owning a pet.

Q. My daughter is dog crazy! Is she too young to have a pet? 

A. Over the years, my family has owned dogs, cats, rats, fish and of course, the requisite hamster. I believe that pets are not only fun for children, but can also help them learn important lessons about taking responsibility for another’s well-being. For example:

• Pets teach responsibility.  By learning to consider the needs of someone other than themselves, children learn empathy, compassion and discipline.

• Pets help children practice social skills. When a toddler goes to pull his cat’s tail, parents can teach him to be gentle and respectful. Learning to control impulses and treat others with kindness are skills that carry over into friendships with other children as well.

• Pets can help the whole family stay healthy. Walking the dog is a great way for adults and kids to exercise daily. Children of all ages love to run with dogs and teach them to fetch a ball or Frisbee.

Of course, you do need to supervise young children with pets so they don’t hurt each other. And I would ask an expert to help you find “child-friendly” pets; some breeds of dogs are better around little ones than others. You also need to have realistic expectations about how much responsibility to give your kids for the care of their pets.  If you’re yelling at your child to feed the fish, she may not be ready for the task.

And remember, your kids learn how to treat others – even animals – from watching you.  So make sure you want a pet before bringing one home. Having pets can be a great way to teach your kids values that last a lifetime (not to mention the advantages of a little unconditional love for the whole family).

Rona Renner, RN, hosts the parenting radio show Childhood Matters, every Sunday from 9-10 AM on 98.1 KISS-FM.  Do you have a question about parenting? Sleep?  Setting limits?  Send it to asknurserona@badm.org

Click here to find out more about one of our favorite pets, Clifford the Big Red Dog, now at the Bay Area Discovery Museum.

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