 Image © stevendepolo; Flickr.com Ever since I was a child, I have always been drawn to animals. I now witness the same connection to animals in my own kids. Whether your kids have a natural desire toward animals or it needs to be developed, kids and pets can make a great mix. Learn how and why kids and pets can make a great mix.
Pets and kids can create a lasting bond. Chances are, you have witnessed a friend or family member bonding with a pet. Perhaps it was you. The bond that occurs between animals and their caregivers is undeniable. This is true, whether the owner is a kid or adult. When your child and a pet grow up together, they can become inseparable, almost like siblings. Pets and kids understand each other. Just like kids can develop friendships with other kids, the same can happen with animals. With friendship becomes an understanding that can only come from a close relationship. This is good both for the animals, as well as your kids. Whether your child has a guinea pig, dog, cat, rat, or other animal, you'll begin to notice the special way they communicate with each other. Whenever my daughter's guinea pig sees her, he gets very excited and starts jumping up and down with squeals of delight. He only has that reaction with her. She knows what each of his sounds and actions mean and can tend to his needs by paying attention to these cues. Kids learn responsibility by having pets. When kids are taught to care for pets properly, they learn responsibility. Pets are almost like having children. They have needs to tend to every single day. Basic needs like food, water, love, and a clean habitat are essential. Then, there are more things to do, such as training, grooming, and exercise. Each pet has its own needs. But they all create extra tasks for kids. This is a very good lesson in what it's like to be responsible for another's well-being. Be sure that if your child adopts a pet, the duties are left up to him. Parents may need to do certain things, especially at first. But let your child do as much as possible. Pets are good preparation for family and careers. Speaking of being responsible for another, pet care helps prepare kids for their future. While pets and human babies are different, raising a pet helps prepare kids for potentially raising kids later in life. It also helps them practice essential skills, such as follow-through, that will be ideal for employment. A child who is used to completing required tasks every day is probably more likely to succeed in the business world than one who has less responsibility. Kids and pets both need plenty of love and both provide it. Your child can be an important source of love and enrichment for a pet. The pet will in turn do the same for your child. While kids can and should get love from family and friends, the love a pet has its place as well. One can never have too much love. That goes for both kids and pets. If your child has a pet, encourage daily cuddling or other means of affection. It will depend on the pet as to the types of affection given. For instance, a child may talk soothingly to a turtle. But he can hug and pet a cat or dog. Extra tips:
 Image © ullisoo; Flickr.com "Mommyyyyyyyy!! He's so cuuuute!!! Can I have him? Pleeeeease?!" The squeals of an excited child are hard to resist mid-moment. But before you allow your child to adopt a guinea pig, be sure it isn't just a phase. I knew my daughter was interested in caring for a guinea pig for more than a second because she took the time to educate herself before the fact. From the moment she first laid eyes on one, she set out on a mission to learn all she could. Helping your child adopt a guinea pig is about much more than making the purchase and gathering the necessary supplies.
Prepare in advance. Before you ever bring a new guinea pig home, be sure your child understands how to care for one ahead of time. Check out books at the library and read them together. Your child can also read information on the web from trusted sources and organizations. Take your child to local animal shelters and be sure there is interaction between the child and the guinea pigs. Your child's reaction, as well as the reactions from the guinea pigs will give you an idea of whether your child should adopt one. What does my child need to know? Aside from dietary needs, proper housing and bedding, and fresh water, there are plenty of other things your child needs to know. The proper room temperature is also key. Consider the age of the guinea pig as well as any special needs. Your child also needs to talk with the appropriate licensed professional both before and after adopting the guinea pig. There are many things besides regular feeding and care that your child should know. Some pet stores and animal shelters offer classes kids can take about proper pet care. Can my child sign the adoption papers? This will depend on the location where your child adopts the guinea pig. Most likely, even if your child can sign the papers, the signature of a parent or guardian also needs to be present for anyone under the age of 18. When my daughter adopted her guinea pig, she was able to sign the paper as the pet parent. But as her legal guardian, I also was required to sign. This is to ensure that an adult is held responsible for the proper care of the animal. Where should we adopt a guinea pig? There are a whole host of options when it comes to adopting guinea pigs. Many people purchase guinea pigs from pet stores rather than from a reliable breeder or shelter. Our family prefers to adopt animals from shelters for many reasons. Many times the animals sold via pet stores have been victim to mass breeding, mistreatment, and other issues. Aside from knowing we have saved a life, our family appreciates the fact that the animals in shelters have been vetted. Most will come with a medical guarantee of some kind, assuring that the animal has been checked by a licensed and certified professional. Does my child need to have experience with guinea pigs first? While it is not always a requirement for adoption, it's smart to educate your child beforehand. This helps prevent certain issues from arising and it's also best for the safety of the guinea pig, as well as your child. Adopting a guinea pig should be treated with as much care as adopting a child. Adoption is more than just taking home a cute and cuddly friend. It also means responsibility for that guinea pig's life. The moment you and your child sign those adoption papers, the guinea pig becomes a part of the family and family is for life. *Always contact a licensed veterinarian for the health of your animals. The information above is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified professional and is derived solely from the author's own personal experiences.  Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved Many animals are adopted without advance preparation. Helping your child adopt a hamster responsibly includes learning all about their care. It also includes following various procedures. The exact process will depend on the venue, as well as any special needs the hamster may have. Advance preparation can go a long way to ensure your child is interested in providing a healthy, happy life for the hamster.
What should my child know before adopting a hamster? Things like proper diet, what type of housing to use, and the best bedding are essential. But there's much more than that when it comes to the care of a hamster. If your child is going to adopt a hamster, knowing how to hold the hamster, exercise the hamster, and knowing warning signs is also key. It's also a good idea to teach your child random hamster facts, such as the fact that hamsters can hiss when upset. They also may box when threatened. How can we prepare? Our first hamster was a rescue, leaving us wholly unprepared. All of his supplies had to be bought the same day and we learned how to care for him along the way. While that can be a good way to learn, it's better to be prepared. Study up on what a hamster will need and have plenty supplies beforehand. Doing this has helped us in future hamster adoptions. Now whenever we have room and come across a hamster that needs to be adopted immediately, we don't have much worry about supplies, as we already have them. I don't recommend stocking up on food too far in advance, as food can expire. But things like toys, bedding, the cage, an exercise wheel, an exercise ball, obstacle course supplies, and other entertainment and care supplies can be purchased well in advance. The less time you are worrying about supplies, the more time you and your child can spend with your newly adopted hamster. Where can my child learn about proper hamster care? A licensed professional can give you and your child the very best advice. You can also consult books and trusted websites for supplemental information. Some pet supply stores and shelters will offer classes and workshops about proper pet care. It's also a great idea to visit animal shelters and spend time with hamsters before adopting. Let your child hold a hamster to test reactions. A combination of all of the above and more ensures well-rounded hamster care experience. Where should we go to adopt a hamster? The best specific place to go will depend on your area. Hamsters are found in pet stores, with breeders, and with shelters and rescue groups. Where you go will be up to you. Because pet store hamsters are often the result of mass breeding and other issues, we prefer to instead support shelters and rescues. All of our hamsters have come from unfortunate situations. Shelters and rescue groups often have hamsters of all ages who were abandoned, abused, or neglected. Adopting a hamster in need is a good deed and may also give your child a healthy dose of joy. Is my child really ready to care for a hamster? After all of your preparation, are you still wondering if your child is ready? You should be able to tell during and after preparation for the hamster if your child is really ready to adopt. Look at the way your child reacts to the hamsters, as well as to care study. If your child becomes bored with all the preparation, you may be overdoing it or your child may not be ready. If you cannot easily and honestly answer whether your child is ready, you should wait. If your child is educationally prepared and visibly happy about adopting a hamster, that's a good indication of readiness. *Always contact a licensed veterinarian for the health of your animals. The information above is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified professional and is derived solely from the author's own personal experiences. by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff 
Image by stevendepolo via Flickr.com
When you visit the pet store or animal shelter, rats can look so cute and cuddly - and they are. But, should you really let your child have a pet rat? As a mom who has made this decision before, I know full well the responsibility it takes. There are many factors involved, such as the safety of the animal, the safety of your child, proper rat care, and more. Rats and other small animals are often an impulse buy. But here's what you and your child need to know about owning one - preferably beforehand.
Does your child respect animals? Before ever bringing a pet rat (or any other pet) into the home, you should know how your child feels about animals. Visit animal shelters and residences of friends and family with pets to get a good idea. Let your child interact with animals and see what the reaction is. If you have already brought home the animal without doing that, consider allowing your child to attend animal care classes with the pet. Many large pet stores and animal shelters offer these classes for free or for an affordable rate. Some include them in the adoption fee. You and your child should know how to care for rats. As mentioned above, your child can take animal care classes. But there are other ways to learn about the care of pet rat as well. Books written by trusted sources are a great start. If you have already adopted a rat, your first step should be a visit to the vet. Even if your child's pet rat has come vetted and vaccinated, it is still important to start routine visits. The first visit can help you and your child understand how to properly care for a rat. The examination will also allow your vet to let you know if there's anything you should watch out for. Rats ideally come in pairs. Some rats will do well alone. But they may be happier when they have a companion. This is even true if they have great human companionship. Are you prepared to let your child adopt two rats if it becomes evident that your rat needs company? Can your child handle two rats? One rat is already a good deal of responsibility. Multiply that times two and if your child is willing and able to handle that, a pet rat (or two) may be a good idea. Rats are very social. Rats prefer to have a companion. However, they also enjoy human companionship. If your child is afraid to hold a rat or will not be around enough to give ample attention, adopting one is a bad idea. Rats enjoy being held and played with for long periods of time. They are highly intelligent and become attached to their human companions. When we owned a rat, he spent more time being held than he did in his cage. He immediately climbed right out of the cage into our arms anytime his cage door was opened. If anything was going on, he wanted to be a part of it. If your child is not ready for this kind of interaction, you should not adopt a pet rat. Because of their docile nature, rats can make great pets for kids as young as five. If your child is not afraid to hold rats and knows to wash hands before and after handling them, they may be the perfect choice. Be sure you and your child have also researched and are aware of risks and proper care. After that point, your child is likely ready to begin the search for a great companion or two. *The author is not a licensed animal care specialist. Her advice is based purely on personal experience and research and is not meant to replace the advice of a licensed professional. by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff 
Image by kennethkonika via Flickr.com
Your child is begging for a pet and you just can't say no - or maybe you want to adopt an animal just as bad as she does. Not every pet fits in every home. Everyone should get along with the pet and likewise. You or your kids should also be able to properly care for the pet. How do you decide which pet is right for your kids? Perhaps my advice as a mother of children with pets (who are researching for one or two more) can help you in your search.
Decide on the proper size. Before ever going out to bring a pet into the family, you need to know these limits. Would your kids care for a smaller or larger pet better? If you are renting, what type of pets are allowed? Does the size of the pet affect your monthly rent or mortgage? Will your child want to hold the pet or just pet him? Does your family prefer a caged pet or a larger one that's free to roam the house, like a cat or dog? If you have desire for a larger pet, like a horse, do you have an appropriate amount of room? These are the type of size questions you should consider. Research breeds for compatibility. No matter if you are adopting a dog, cat, hamster, or other animal breed can make a difference. Some breeds are better with children than others. For instance, we have both a dwarf hamster (Buddy) and a Roborovski hamster (Butterscotch). Buddy bites at times. Butterscotch does not, as Robo hamsters have smaller mouths and do not bite humans. I am the primary handler of Buddy. Anyone can handle Butterscotch without worrying about being bitten...if they can catch him that is. He's the fast one. Hamsters need attention and handling. This is just one reason it's important to consider breeds when adopting pets with kids in the house. Set up meetings with pets of interest. Once you know which type of pets you want to adopt, make appointments to meet with specific ones you and kids are interested in getting to know. This helps avoid problems with compatibility once you finally take a pet home. Let the kids play with the animals and see how they react. If there will be more than one animal, all animals and people should meet together. This way you can see how well everyone gets along together. If it's not a good match, then you know that pet (or pets) would be better suited to another family. But if everyone hits it off easily, you may have found the perfect addition/s to your family. Consider the responsibility of your child. How responsible is your child with other aspects of life? Can she take care of an animal properly? Will she? If your kids are not responsible enough to take care of objects, what do you think will happen with an animal? Remember that an animal is very different from a toy. They are living, breathing creatures with feelings and they depend on their owners to care for them. If your child does not care for them, will you? If no one will do this with certainty, instead of deciding which pet is right, you should be telling your child no to having a pet altogether. Weigh all options before the final decision. Consider all of the aspects mentioned above and more before choosing a pet for your child. Size, breed, compatibility, and responsibility are some of the most important factors when choosing a pet. But there are also many more, such as time, cost of care (including vet bills and pet insurance), and dedication. Before ever deciding on a pet, weigh all the pros and cons to make absolute certain that your child and his pet are compatible and that you are giving the pet a good home. *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network |
Staff Authors
Lyn Lomasi & Richard Rowell are life & business partners. Owners of the Write W.A.V.E. Media network, they are your content superheroes to the rescue! Running their network, tackling deadlines single handedly, and coaching fellow writers & entrepreneurs to be thought leaders is their top priority. While rescuing civilians from boring content and marketing, they also conquer the world, living the RV life with their awesomely crazy family and telling The Nova Skye Story. They also strive to one day cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, they’ll settle for furry rescue kitties and doggies.
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