23 Sep How to Teach Your Child Responsibility Through Pet Ownership

I am going to start off by acknowledging that anyone who knows me well is howling laughing at the very thought that I am writing an article about pet ownership. I am not a pet person, have no desire to be a pet person, and quite frankly will die happy if I never have a pet. But, along came my children, who love creatures of all kinds. It was only a matter of time until they convinced me that they should have a pet. I held them off for a few years with one excuse or another, but recently their logic (and pleading) overcame my resistance. My last excuse was that I needed proof that they could demonstrate responsibility before pet ownership.

Pet Ownership Can Teach Real-World Responsibility

Pet ownership is a fantastic, real-world way to teach responsibility. Pets can provide children with opportunities to learn how to care for another creature, empathize with living beings, and be mindful of the needs of others. It’s a great way to instill the importance of regular exercise, balanced with playtime. Owning a pet can teach the benefits of a daily routine, and can enforce the need for cleanliness to be healthy and strong.

Fish are a Great Way to Start!

My son was the first to ask for a pet. He wanted fish – guppies, to be precise. I thought “GREAT! No animal hair throughout my house. No poop to clean up!” So we made a deal. I agreed to consider his request if he would do his research and write a paper on everything we needed to know about guppies. I secretly hoped that this would cause a delay. But that boy was serious, and by the end of that afternoon, he had written a 4 page, single-spaced, dissertation on everything to do with guppies, including a list of equipment and accessories needed. I was out of excuses. We got the guppies.

Caring for a Pet

Since getting his guppies, my son has demonstrated a level of responsibility that has impressed me. He carefully chose the correct size of tank, the appropriate equipment, and accessories to enrich the lives of his fish. Being mindful of their needs, he created a schedule of feeding, water changes, tank cleaning, filter changes, and light and dark cycles. To ensure that he stays on schedule, he has set a timer on his tablet. This way, if he chooses to sleep in, he will still be awoken to care for his fish.

Although some would say that you can’t bond with a fish, I would argue that you can probably bond with most living creatures – even if it’s just one-sided. My son spent several days deciding on an appropriate name for each of his fish. He would spend hours observing them, and even made them the subject of his special studies topic for homeschool science. He learned their habits and likes. When one was scared, he knew. If one was being a bully, he knew. He even taught them to jump through a hoop above the water. When one of them died, he lovingly made an origami box, labelled with their name and had a small ceremony, burying it in our backyard.

Our pet ownership experiment has been a success. It has brought another layer of joy and richness to our lives. Pet ownership has taught my children responsibility, but other qualities as well. It has helped them develop valuable life skills and empathy for living creatures.

Now it’s my daughter’s turn – she wants a hamster. Wish me luck! I’ll let you know how it goes…