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Medical Video: 7 Reasons Your Kid Needs a Dog
For some people, imagining having a pet alone has made cold sweat first. In addition to having to take care of all the daily needs of every human in the house, plus having to feed and clean the animal cage.
But it turns out that the presence of pets in your family has a myriad of benefits for child development. If you are still reluctant to take risks, the facts below might convince you.
What, really, the benefits of having a pet at home?
1. Helping children learn
A number of child educators have long known that having a pet dog can greatly foster learning from children with special needs. Now they find that all children can benefit from the presence of a furry and four-legged friend. In one study, children were asked to read aloud in front of peers, adults, and dogs. Researchers monitored their stress levels, and found that children will be most relaxed when around animals, not humans.
2. Maintaining children's health
According to a study by Dennis Ownby, MD, a pediatrician and department head of allergies and immunology at the Medical College of Georgia, having a pet really reduces the risk of a child getting certain allergies. His research tracked 474 babies from birth to around the age of 7 years. He found that children who were always around two or more dogs or cats while they were babies were less likely to develop common allergies thanks to early exposure to certain bacteria.
Children who have pets at home also show less positive skin tests on indoor allergens such as animal fur and mite dust - also for outdoor allergens such as flower pollen and plant sap.
No one knows for sure why this happened, but Dr. Ownby theorizes that when children play with dogs or cats, animals usually lick it, as a sign of love. According to him, licking will transfer bacteria that live in the mouths of animals, and exposure to these bacteria can change the way the child's immune system responds to other allergens.
And some studies show that pet owners tend to get sick less often. A 2012 study reported that children who live at home with domesticated dogs generally appear healthy during their first year of life, with fewer respiratory problems (such as asthma) and ear infections than children who do not have pets.
Other benefits of keeping animals at home? Bathing, playing, or caressing furry creatures can reduce stress levels - and this applies not only to mother and father, but also to children.
3. Teach children a sense of responsibility, compassion, and care
Even the youngest toddlers can learn a little more about responsibility in the presence of pets at home. Of course you will do most of the Sweet's care tasks, but your child will absorb a lot of knowledge from behaviors that you exemplify indirectly, such as the importance of being a good and gentle person. He can even extend his small hand to help you with easier work, like pouring food on a plate.
By being directly involved in taking care of their pets, children will realize that pets, like humans - need food, shelter, exercise, and love. This then teaches valuable lessons about empathy and compassion.
What's more, "Caring for pets is especially important for boys because taking care of animals is not seen as a job that" feminizes "things like cooking, playing home, or playing with dolls," said Gail F. Melson, PhD , professor of child development studies at Purdue University, quoted from Parents. When questioning pet care, the involvement of both sexes was reported to be as large.
That's because empathy and compassion are not qualities that suddenly appear in adulthood when we need them. And you don't learn to be a caring person just because you are treated as a child. We need the means to hone this trait since we were young.
4. Provide comfort and encourage children's self-confidence
There are studies that show that children who have pets at home have higher self-esteem. Maybe it's because they have four-legged creatures (or two-legged) to love and who love them the way they are, as well as a confidant who never judges and friends play with when no one else is around.
Then, when your child starts school, pets give children an interesting topic to discuss and share the same interests with other children.
5. Strengthening family ties
Pet care is often the main star of joint activities in the family. Everyone invites dogs to take an afternoon walk, or shoulder to shoulder bathing and feeding them. Sometimes, a family can all play with the favorite Meow. Spending time together like this helps families grow stronger and closer, while also giving time to relax in the midst of everyday life that is always chased by time.
If you are already convinced of the five reasons above and are considering getting a pet, remember that it is always better to adopt than buy.
