Most of us grew up with pets in our homes, or at least knew someone who had a cat or a dog. For most people, it is natural to share a home with a furry friend, but we don’t always consider the valuable lessons children learn from these animals.
Animaltalk magazine spoke to Dr Nicoleen Coetzee, Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Pretoria, to find out more about these beneficial relationships.
Special bond
Most children love animals, and many animals are great with children – especially if they grow up together. The relationship between a child and their pet is special, and they can form a strong bond. For children, a pet can be a companion who will play with them without complaining.
A pet is also a ‘secret keeper’, meaning that children can talk to them and don’t have to worry about possible betrayal. Children are also more relaxed with pets, as a cat or a dog won’t correct them if they say something that is incorrect, won’t interrupt them while they’re talking, and pets listen without prejudice. Apart from this special bond, children also learn a few lessons that we don’t always think about.
6 lessons
Dr Coetzee says that, if children interact with animals on a regular basis, they can learn the following lessons.
Lesson 1: Respect
“The child learns how to respect physical boundaries – an animal who does not want to play or be touched will move away, hinting to the child that he wishes to disengage. At the same time, the child will learn that disengagement does not equal rejection, because animals love unconditionally. This unconditional love, in addition to the pet’s happiness when seeing the child, will increase mental wellbeing because the child feels loved and special,” says Dr Coetzee.
Lesson 2: Care
“The child will learn how to care for another living being, which will teach him or her important lessons about respect and empathy towards others,” says Dr Coetzee. This means that the child will learn what unconditional love is, and not to love with exceptions or expectations.
Lesson 3: Responsibility
“The child will learn about responsibility, since he or she will become aware of the fact that his pet cannot feed himself or take care of his own health issues,” adds Dr Coetzee. By watching how and when the parents take care of the pet’s wellbeing, the child will learn that pet owner responsibility goes beyond just feeding a dog and taking him to the vet.
The more involved the child is in taking care of the pet, the more the he or she will understand what pet owner responsibility truly is. However, the ultimate responsibility of pet care always lies with the parents, and should never be the child’s responsibility alone.
Lesson 4: Communication
“The child will learn valuable communication skills. A loud child will soon realise that he or she is scaring the animal,” says Dr Coetzee. This can be taken to the next level if the parents explain to the child how sensitive an animal’s hearing is. The child will also learn to interpret the pet’s body language and pick up if the animal is not happy.
Lesson 5: Sharing
“The child will learn how to share attention because his or her parents will need to take care of the needs of the pet too. If, for example, it is the pet’s dinner time, but the child wants a sweet, the child will learn that the pet’s needs come first. This, in turn, will teach the child about delayed gratification, which means that his non-urgent needs will not be immediately fulfilled,” says Dr Coetzee. This is an extremely important lesson to learn, especially in today’s world where children want instant gratification on various levels.
Lesson 6: Being active
“The child will be more active, since he or she will engage in activities with the pet, which will enhance their physical wellbeing,” explains Dr Coetzee. A game of fetch outside or a walk in the park with the dog are great ways to get rid of excess energy – for both the child and the dog.
Conclusion
These are valuable lessons that children will take with them into their adult lives, which will help them to cope on so many different levels with the various challenges that life brings – all because they shared a home with a pet.
