There are many speculations about whether raising children while keeping a pet is good for the child’s education, or whether it’s bad for their health, and it’s hard to know what to do. People who love animals may be worried about how to balance the two. We have compiled information that will be of interest to people who have had pets before they had children, or who are thinking of keeping a pet after they have children.
What is it like living with children and pets?
Raising children is busy and difficult enough. However, there are probably some people who still love their pets as if they were family, just like their children. There are many wonderful aspects to living with a pet, but you may wonder if there are any negative effects on your children. Many people worry
about the effects of juggling children and pets, and the effects vary widely. But what kind of effects do pets actually have on children? Here are some examples.
The positive effects of pets on children
Contact with pets has a very positive effect on babies. They will develop a sense of compassion for animals as they touch them with their own hands and experience caring for them as they grow up.
Here are some of the positive effects that pets have on children.
Enhance non-verbal communication
When children play with pets and become close like siblings, they build relationships through non-verbal communication,
even when they cannot speak the same language. This leads to compassion and empathy, which allows them to understand the other person’s feelings without having to say them in words. It is also said that children who have affection for pets develop self-esteem and the ability to cherish themselves.
Learn about life
For young children, it is a very valuable experience to let them feel the existence of life other than humans. Also, by growing up with a pet and witnessing its death, it is an opportunity for them to think about life from an early age and to understand its importance.
Provide emotional support to children
If you spend time with a pet from a young age, it may be able to support your child when they grow up and feel stressed about their friendships, family relationships, studies, etc. Some people may find that interacting with a pet has helped them feel better when they are in a difficult situation, and the same can be said for children.
Experience of living with children and pets
We will introduce the experiences of people who have actually kept pets while raising children.
Good experiences
We will introduce some stories of people who found it beneficial to have pets while having children.
A caring heart was developed
We have had a small animal called a chinchilla in our home since before my daughter was born. For a while after she was born, we kept it in a separate room away from her, but when she turned one year old, she became interested in it and started approaching the cage where the chinchilla was.
Now, she strokes its body, feeds it, and we are very friendly. Maybe because of that, she has come to love animals, including the dog at my parents-in-law’s house. I hope that one day we will be able to welcome a dog into our home.
Feeding animals is a great way to care for them. Petting them and getting to know the feeling of raising an animal from an early age is a very valuable experience.
I grew up feeling the presence of life and warmth.
Taking care of a baby and a cat can be time-consuming and stressful. I have often felt irritated. But there are also many fun and soothing things.
The other day, my daughter hugged Yusuke and said happily, “It’s warm.” I was very happy to realize that she was growing up feeling the warmth and warmth of life.S
By actually touching it with your own hands, you can feel its warmth. This warmth cannot be obtained by just reading a picture book, so it is a very good effect.
A difficult experience
We will introduce the experiences of people who had difficulties keeping pets while having children.
Cleaning is hard
The biggest stressor is shedding. Our dog has a double coat, and right now it’s shedding season, so we’re shedding a lot, and even when we clean, we can’t keep up. It
‘s also uncomfortable to see my husband holding the baby in a fleece with lots of dog hair on it. But I want him to hold me, so I’m putting up with it. Right now, he’s still in his crib, but soon he’ll start crawling and crawling on the floor. No matter how much we clean, dog hair is still there, and it’s depressing to think about it.
If you have a baby, you may be concerned about hygiene. If you have pets, cleaning can be a real pain.
Helping children and pets live happily
Living with pets and children can be difficult, but it may have some positive effects on children, as mentioned above. It’s a good idea to discuss it with your family or consult with people who already have pets. It’s also a good idea to
check in advance whether your child has any allergies and whether your environment is suitable for keeping a pet.
