4 Proven Benefits of Raising Kids with Animals Around
A bit of back story:
When I was a kid, I struggled to make new friends. Bruno — a chocolate-colored Labrador — is the only friend I recall having in my childhood. He was the sweetest birthday present I had ever received.
Just as I would enter my home, Bruno would sprint towards me, plunge into my arms, and lick my face frantically.
I don’t recall holding back my expressions of love for him either. I would pet him at the back of his neck — the spot where he loved the most — confide in my secrets, and share my every meal with him.
My bonding with Bruno could be the epitome of empathy and love a person could have for an animal. However, I wasn’t an exception.
Human beings, in general, like the companionship of pets for their tenderness and therapeutic nature. But having a furry friend as a kid is even more special. It’s simply a magical experience to live and one that makes us cherish the childhood memories long afterward.
That’s not all there is!
According to a review of 22 studies about the impact of the child-pet relationship on child development, animal companionship is beneficial for the psychological well-being of the kids.
Even though some of the findings gave mixed conclusions, the authors concluded, in general, that growing up with pets is connected to cognitive developments and enhances social skills and self-esteem.
Cool, right? But that is barely scratching the surface.
So, let’s dive deeper and find out how growing up with pets can do wonders beyond our imagination.
1. Making Kids More Responsible
My mother tells that whenever she and dad would leave me in the house on my own, they found it neat and tidy upon arrival. Besides that, my nails were usually clipped, with my school homework done on time.
You could be wondering what does this have to do with owning a pet, right?
Well, it’s time to connect the dots.
Experts believe that pet companionship aids in nurturing responsibility and promoting healthy self-care choices in the kids.
A study was conducted on a sample of preadolescents to explore the psychological impact of having a companion animal:
The children were grouped into pet owners and non-pet-owners, keeping the other factors constant. It was revealed that the pet-owning kids showed greater levels of autonomy than their non-pet-owning counterparts.
When kids take the charge of their pets, they get the taste of responsibility early on. To top it all, they start recognizing the roles of their parents and, hence, try to make decisions and do things on their own.
2. Keeping Them Fit and Healthy
For starters, it’s a no-brainer that our doggos give us a reason to be physically active.
Even for a couch potato like me, having a dog leaves me with no excuse to be up and about or go outdoors.
As for kids, they love to chase their fur babies around the house, keeping a track of their silly activities, and staying active as a result.
In a nutshell: kids love animals and having them around means being on their toes all the time. This ensures their daily dose of exercise and keep them fit and healthy.
But health doesn’t solely have to do with doing exercise and being physically active. There’s another facet to it — immunity.
During a study conducted in Finland, researchers followed 397 newborns for one year after their birth. It was concluded that the babies who had pets in their homes were 44% less likely to develop an ear infection and had 29% fewer chances of needing antibiotics than those without pets.
Dr. Eija Bergroth, at Kuopio University Hospital in Finland, emphasizes the role pets play during a child’s formative years. According to her, during the initial years of a child’s birth, their immune systems are learning to distinguish between good and bad microbes. Hence, it could be beneficial for the children to get animal exposure early on so as to minimize the risk of allergies and asthma in the future.
3. Great for Mental Health and Well-Being
New York University Langhorne Medical Center makes an interesting use of rabbits.
The facility has bunnies on the hospital floor to cheer up patients. Patients, comprising both adults and kids, pay them frequent visits and enjoy their presence. This means getting a break from their treatments and relieving some stress.
I was a reserved kid; always had a hard time expressing my emotions and sharing my thoughts. On my worst days, I wouldn’t even share anything with my mom too, no matter how hard she tried tricking me into opening up.
In such moments, Bruno was the only one I sought solace in.
Whenever I was having a bad day, one warm hug with Bruno would make my worries fade away. As much as I hated talking in general, I poured my heart out to Bruno, sharing my innermost feelings and silly thoughts.
It was all for a reason.
Unlike most humans, pets don’t judge. You could speak to them for hours and hours and they won’t go anywhere.
On top of it, when you cuddle with your pet, your brain releases Oxytocin. This hormone stirs up love and happiness and strengthens the bond between you and your furry companion.
An American study explored the effect of having a pet on the anxiety levels of children. It turned out that those with pet dogs were less likely to experience general anxiety as opposed to those without them (12% and 21%, respectively).
So, all in all, if your little ones are afraid to be in the house on their own, are shy, or have the tendency to panic every now and then for no big reason, getting a pet could be one of the best things you could do.
4. Helps Kids Understand Life
Having pets enables kids to get acquainted with some truths about life which would be difficult for their parents to communicate with them otherwise.
The day when Bruno died was exceedingly overwhelming and sad for me. I was only aware of the textbook concept of death before, but when the day came for real, I experienced the feeling of losing your loved one forever for the first time.
The silver lining? I was lucky to have parents who were intelligent and caring enough to ease out the situation for me by communicating and supporting me in a healthy manner.
When kids see their pets dying, they learn to cope with grief and loss at an early stage of life. Not only that, but they also realize the importance of those around them, which strengthens the bonds with their loved ones even more.
On the other end of the spectrum is birth. When kids cohabit with pets, they witness the mesmerizing sight of birth. This also becomes an opportunity for parents to strike an age-appropriate conversation about sexual reproduction.
The Bottom Line
All in all, raising a kid in the presence of a pet or two, not only comes with sheer happiness and entertainment, but it helps the kid grow into a healthy and happy adult.
It goes without saying, however, that it still is no match for the attention and love a child could receive from their parents.
If the stated benefits of the pet-child relationship give you all the more reason to bring home a furry companion, we hope that you make the most of it!
