Pet Pros and Cons

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Is a Pet Right for Your Family?

It's a major decision whether you should get an animal.

The key factor to consider: How much time do you have to spend with it?

5 Essentials to Consider:

1 How much time you are willing to spend with it?

This is especially important with younger kids.Animals impact the whole family, not just the “owner” (or, if you live in enlightened areas, the “guardian”).

2 Your child's age.

Most experts agree that kids under age six are generally not capable of understanding an animal’s needs and caring for it properly. When it comes to younger children, realize that it is truly your new baby.

Don’t go into the situation with false expectations. That’s not fair to the kid or the animal.

A fair compromise for younger kids: start with easy-to-care-for animals such as fish, mice, or turtles.

3 Your child's maturity.

Some kids are more responsible than others; but all kids will have time conflicts occasionally and all will forget to do animal chores. So you have to decide how much you’re willing to help.

4 How the new arrival will affect the rest of the family.

Consider carefully if any family members have dander allergies or a fear of animals.

5 The other kids in the house.

Needless to say, if one gets a gerbil, they will all want one.

Kids may share bedrooms, they may even share toothbrushes (ugh), but they draw the line when it comes to sharing animals.

Be aware of this phenomenon going in and have an idea of how you will respond to it.

You might say that either the kids share the dog or no one gets anything. (That will last until the dog arrives.)

You might say that age seven is the magic number and as kids reach seven, they can choose an animal, with your approval. Just be prepared for this issue.