You’re prepared to teach your children how to be kind to animals as they grow, but how do you prepare for the first introduction? Check out some helpful, basic ground rules to ensure your kids are ready to be responsible pet owners from USA Today.
Pets Aren’t Toys
Remind your children that pets are NOT toys. Pets are living creatures just like us! It’s important we make sure our kids know how to hold, play, and safely touch our pets.
Cherish the Time
Always remind your kids to cherish the time with your pet and enjoy spending time with them. Young children don’t fully understand death and the value of time, so it’s important we teach them how special owning a pet is.
Give Kids Responsibility
Give kids small chores to understand the responsibilities of being a pet owner! Not only will this teach them accountability, but it’ll help you out as well.
It’s OK to NOT Share
In regards to pets, it’s ok to NOT always share! Young children oftentimes love to involve pets in everything they do and sometimes it’s best to keep things away from the pet such as: crayons, food not in their diet, etc. It’s important to teach children to protect their pets from danger.
