Your child will be very happy to have a pet. Although their happiness is most important for you, every decision related to your child must be considered carefully.

Do you think that a pet can be a threat for both your child’s health and his psycho – emotional development? You will be amazed to see in how many ways pets can benefit rather than hinder your child’s development!

Together with Valentina Secara, general manager of the British nursery, Acorns Nursery, we discovered 10 ways in which a pet can benefit children:

  1. According to studies, children who grow up with a pet at home are less likely to develop allergies and infections, respiratory ones in general.
  2. Children who play and have daily exercise with a pet show lower risc of developing obesity and high blood presure.
  3. Studies have shown that a pet reduces children’s stress, anxiety or loneliness .
  4. Feeding and caring for a pet develops a sense of responsibility

„ Of course, this sense of responsibility is represented differently depending on children’s ages. At 3-4 years, a child must be supervised constantly when interacting with an animal. Only when the children are 5 years old they start to understand what it means to care for a pet, but this sense of responsibility will be much better represented around the age of 10” explains Valentina Secara.

Other qualities, such as: compassion, kindness and empathy are also developed by providing for the basic needs of a pet.

  1. Children who have a pet have higher self esteem than others

When they take care of an animal and complete tasks appropriate to their age, children feel more competent.

Acorns Nursery manager advises parents to deal this aspect with delicacy.

„The adults around a child play a very important role in building their self-esteem. They must express their appreciation for the child when he ends a task, to encourage him and support him if he has any difficulties”, Valentina Seacara.

  1. Children who have pets are braver and more adventurous. They have the ability to find optimal solutions to overcome a difficult solution, facing dangers easier.
  2. Lessons about loyalty can be learnt easily with help from a pet, especially from dogs.
  3. Friendship with a pet increases social skills. „A pet is a perfect excuse for a child to socialize much easier” says Valentina Secara.
  4. Development of civic sense

Megan K. Mueller from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tufts, found in a recent study that teenagers who had a pet or have cared for a pet have a higher predisposition to see themselves in roles of contributors to society, occupying leadership positions or developing different projects for the community.