“Don’t go near or that dog will bite you!”
“Eww… that stray is so dirty, don’t touch it!”
“It’s so old already and have to keep spending money at the vet. Let’s just give / throw it away!”
We are all taught at a young age what we can, should or should not do by our parents, grandparents, teachers, guardians, etc.
Through the years from all the verbal and nonverbal cues, children begin to develop their own set of likes and dislikes.
Some will grow up to show compassion, empathy and love for ALL living things while some grow to become very entitled, wasteful and detached.
Seeing a puppy or kitten for the first time, most people will be attracted to the cute and adorable faces. Most kids will squeal with delight and turn to their parents with their very own version of “puppy eyes” and say “I want, I want!”
Congratulations! The family now owns a pet (hopefully, for the duration of the pet’s LIFE). If not, the above scenarios at the beginning of this article will play out.
What is the purpose of this article? As an adult, YOU are in a position to educate the young on how to treat and care for these animals, be it stray or otherwise.
Every living thing needs LOVE to blossom, and every child needs guidance on how to treat and love all living things in order to blossom in to compassionate adults.
Here are a couple of links which will explain further on the positive impact children have when they grow up with a pet.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/animals-and-us/201707/why-kids-pets-are-better
https://www.lifegate.com/pets-improve-child-development
Do you any tips on educating kids about pets? We would love to hear it so do share it in the comments section below!