The Top Four Reasons Why Your Child Should Have a Pet

1. Health.

According to Alice Park of Time Magazine, "Reporting in the journal Pediatrics, researchers say that babies who grow up in homes with a pet — namely a dog or a cat — are less likely to get sick than children who live pet-free."  "Previous research has linked the presence of pets with a lower risk of allergies among babies, while a recent study in mice found that exposure to household dust from homes with a dog prevented infection with a common respiratory virus that is thought to increase the risk of childhood asthma."

In my personal experience, my boys went from babies to toddlers when we still lived at my mother's house with her cats an dogs, and neither one had any problems with allergies or ear infections.  My daughter however, has allergies and had some horrid ear infections in her toddler years.

2. Stress Reduction.

It's hard out there for a toddler.  You're constantly getting into things and your family is trying to redirect you everywhere.  Sometimes its good to have someone who's always on your side for cuddles and loves.  Someone who never raises their voice or gets frustrated.  Someone who doesn't mind when you carry them around to hug and love them.  Studies have shown that petting an animal reduces your heart rate and calms you down and makes you happier. 

3.  Self Esteem

The world can be cruel.  Mama can be having a bad day and be grouchy, you may have lost your favorite toy, maybe you went to tumbling class and couldn't figure out how to do a somersault and everyone else could.  What do you do?  How do you not get sad or feel you're a failure as a toddler?  You go pet your kitty, that's what you do!  

Your kitty or doggy wont judge your bad haircut after you played with Mama's sewing scissors.  Your kitty wont care if you can do a somersault or not.  Your doggy wont care if you hid a dirty pull-up under the treadmill.  But he might tell on you.  Also, studies show that having an animal increases your self esteem.

4. Building Empathy, Compassion, and Responsibility.

Children with pets learn a lot about giving.  They need to make sure their pet has food and water.  They can watch their kitty meow and beg at the cat food bowl and realize they have a job to do.  Their animal needs something from them in order to not be hungry and thirsty. They understand what hungry or thirsty feels like because they get hungry and thirsty too.
They know that if they don't put food or water into the bowl that their friend will be unhappy.  

From the article How Pets Teach Children Empathy and Compassion by Silvia Foti for Webvet, "Parents have traditionally encouraged children to respect and care for animals in the belief that this would enable children to become more caring, compassionate, and responsible," said Elizabeth Omerod, companion animal veterinary surgeon, and member of the Pet Health Council in London, England. "Studies demonstrate that children who interact with animals have higher levels of self esteem, greater empathy, and better social skills."

So what are you waiting for?  Give your child the joy of a pet today.