– Cynthia John

Have your kids been pleading for a pet? Here is how a pet can help your family, and how you can get prepared for the responsibility of keeping one.

Here are some joys a pet can give your family:
• Give unconditional, undying love to each member.
• Give a warm welcome when you get home.
• Provide fun and companionship when others aren’t around.
• Boost self-confidence by making everyone feel special.
• Build responsibility.

Some considerations before bringing a pet home:
• Who will be the primary caretaker of the pet?
• Who will be responsible for training, litter clearance and other care-taking?
• In the absence of that person, who will discharge these responsibilities?
• What type of pet would you like to adopt?
• How much time, money and effort will be involved in caring for your pet?
• Do you have room enough for your pet?
• If you go on a vacation, what arrangement will you need to make?
• Is the family ready for these responsibilities?

Do some research to find out about the habits and needs of the kind of pet you want to adopt. Discuss the responsibilities and decide if your family is ready for it. If you think they aren’t, consider easier options such as fish, which don’t require as much time or care as a cat or a dog.

Though dogs, cats and fish are common pets, there are other pet options which aren’t common. Visit a pet shop and check out the options. Just be sure your family is prepared before you adopt your pet.

Visit a farm

Urban life seldom provides opportunities to experience domesticated animals. Visiting a farm could be just the thing for your family.

There are farmhouses in tourist locations which allow visitors to get firsthand experience of life on a farm. Visitors get a chance to see goats, pigs, chickens and other animals being fed, cleaned and cared for. Your children may even get a chance to feed some of them.

You can also watch the daily duties involved in caring for herbs and crops being grown. The people at the farm will give you the hospitality of a home, while sharing the intricacies of farm life with you.

So, make a farmhouse visit to get a glimpse of a life very different from life in the city.

Also read: Death of a pet profoundly impacts children