Welcoming a new furry or feathered member in your family is an important decision, since this a big commitment and you may need to take care it for years. The benefits of getting a pet are numerous such as teaching your child responsibility to having a super- fun companion around your house. Before you start picking pet names, you need to consider your child’s behaviour and your own lifestyle. Is your kid gentle towards other living creatures? Do you have enough space for a child and an animal? Can you deal with all the cleaning? Here a couple of tell-tale signs to find out if getting a pet is a wise decision for your family.
7 Signs Your Family is Ready For a Pet
1. Your child is comfortable around animals
Getting a pet is not the best way to help your kid overcome a fear of animals. If your child is not relaxed around animals, having one at home may stress them out even more. You can help your kid build up their own comfort level by taking them to an animal shelter or spending time with friends’ pets.
2. Your child shows respect for animals
Pay attention at how your child behaves around animals. The age is just a number. It is the kid’s attitude towards pets that really matters. Does your child try to pull the tail of your friend’s dog or they wait for pet to approach them? Before you get an animal at home, be sure your kid shows respect for the other living beings.
3. Your child helps with the household tasks
More than often kids nag about having a pet and promise to help with the feeding and cleaning, but then you end up taking care of the animal. To avoid this situation, first ensure that your kid is conscientious about the household activities. The types of responsibilities depend on the age of your child. For example toddlers can help with the dish feeding, while older kids can walk the dog and assist with a domestic cleaning.
4. You can live in a home that isn’t super clean all the time
Speaking of cleaning, you need to give up the idea of keeping an absolutely tidy space. Children and pets tend to make a mess. No matter how much time you spend washing, vacuuming and organizing, your home will turn into a little chaos from time to time.
5. You are financially prepared to have a pet
Pet ownership can be a bit expensive. Are you able to meet the needs of your furry friend? Expenses such as feeding and vaccination will have a sufficient impact on your budget.
6. Allergies are not an issue
Ensure that none of the family members is allergic to pets. You don’t want your child to get attached to their new friend only to find out that they need to give it up because they get a rash. To prevent allergies and respiratory issues from occurring later, you will need to perform overall house cleaning regularly.
7. Everyone is committed to the idea of getting a pet
All family members should be engaged in the pet adoption. If someone is allergic or doesn’t like animals, you need to respect that. Lastly, decide whether your kid’s wish is a passing fad or a desire that will stick around for long.
Even if you and your family feel ready to have a furry companion, give pet ownership a trial period. Spend time with animals before you acquire one to see how it will work out.
Mary Gardner
Thursday 15th of November 2018
This is a great article. All of these things are very important to take into consideration before adopting a pet.