The Benefits of Pets for Kids
The Benefits of Pets — They Teach Kids Values
With a pet in the house, even the youngest toddler can pick up a few pointers about responsibility. You can take on most of the pet-care chores, example can even lend a tiny hand with the easier jobs, like pouring food into a dish. By pitching in, he’ll realize that pets, just like people, need food, shelter, exercise, and love, teaching him valuable lessons about empathy and compassion.
Experts say that children who grow up with pets are less likely to develop common allergies thanks to early exposure to certain bacteria. And some research shows that pet owners tend to get sick less often — in fact, a 2012 study determined that children who lived with dogs were generally healthier during their first year of life, with fewer respiratory problems and less frequent ear infections than kids without canines. Another pro to pets? Brushing, patting, or stroking a furry creature can lower stress levels — and that’s just as true for moms and dads as it is for kids.