If you have children, you are in the demographic of people who are the most likely to own a pet or two.

But why do busy families take on the added responsibility of a family pet? I mean, it isn’t like they need more to do. What it often comes down to is the many benefits that having a pet can offer children, as well as what children can give to the pet. The amount of energy and love that your children have can be channeled in a really positive way when there is a pet at home. Children also ensure that a pet always receives cuddles and has a built-in playmate. But more importantly, pets offer our children incredible life lessons along the way. Here are some of the important lessons that can be easily taught when our children have pets.

Responsibility

When our children are young, we do everything from bathing them to brushing their teeth for them. And as they grow, their own responsibility of doing these things for themselves grows too. But having a pet means that they can learn to not only help themselves, but to help others as well. They begin to understand that if they do not feed or give water to their pet, no one else will. Learning to care for another living creature is an amazing skill.

Children of all ages can get involved too, which is the great thing about pets. Younger ones can join in with games and grooming, and older children can take on more responsibility such as dog walks or cleaning out cages. Choosing what type of pet your family will get often depends largely on the child’s age and level of responsibility required.

Trust

Children who feel they have a constant companion who loves them unconditionally learn trust. They understand that they can share their thoughts and feelings with their pet with no judgement whatsoever. Pets can also be one of the first steps that a child will take in building relationships. Learning trust in a relationship is an important thing for children to develop as they grow older.

Compassion

When you take responsibility for something else, it requires a level of compassion. Children can take care of a pet grudgingly, or they can do it and enjoy it. But when they learn to look after others with love, it helps them foster kindness and a compassionate nature – an important thing for all children to learn as they grow up.

Learning how to deal with sickness is another important aspect when learning to take care of others. There may be times that your pet becomes sick, and the children can take a role in nursing them back to health. Whether that includes making sure they take their medication, much like the Pet-Lock range, or helping them to drink plenty of water, it is all teaching them important skills. Putting others first and being compassionate can be a tough thing to do at a young age. But, if they have grown up doing it, it can be a much easier skill to master and carry throughout the rest of their lives.

Dealing with Bereavement

Death is a fact of life, and all children will experience some kind of loss in their life, whether it is their pet or a family member. Learning to deal with it can be a good life lesson, as hard as it may be at the time. Learning how to properly cope with loss is important, and doing so at a young age can prepare them for bigger losses later in life.

Patience

Having a new pet can be very much like having a new baby. It takes a lot of time and patience to understand what your pet is doing, and to get them to understand what you are doing or require of them. Bonding with a pet can also be a long process that requires plenty of patience – an important life-skill for children. While pets are learning or being trained, it can be a fun but long journey. And if your children are part of that, it will help them to be much more patient with those around them.

Social Skills

Dogs can be great to help with our children’s social skills, as well as anxiety. Taking dogs for walks and then seeing other dog walkers can be great for their social skills as they are likely to strike up a conversation. It can also help with autism and anxiety as there is always a constant companion with them that can help them; they can trust and rely on them when needed. It can also help skills such as sharing, as they have a pet to share things now, and everything isn’t just their own.

Physical Activity

Having a pet is a great way to get active as a family, and to encourage our children to be more active. Of course, there are some pets that are going to get you to be more active than others, such as dogs, cats, or horses. But all animals will encourage some level of physical activity; even if it means cleaning out a rabbit hutch, rather than sitting to play on the computer, they will be doing physical activity. If your children are older and struggle to be active, a responsibility like walking a dog once a day could be a good idea to encourage them to be more active. Not only will it get them to be more playful, it will help them enjoy time outdoors, both of which are great things to do as children.

The list of the benefits of children having pets is never-ending.

My list is not exhaustive; there are many other benefits out there. But the basic emotional needs of our children can be met by having a pet. Studies have even shown that children that come from homes that have pets (specifically dogs), have had better overall health (fewer ear infections, for example), because they have been exposed to things that have stimulated their immune system. It can give them more confidence, and even help to lower risk of developing allergies. So if you’re thinking about getting a pet for your home, what else are you waiting for?