I am sure every parent knows the struggle, at some point in your kids life they wont stop begging you for an pet. Most parents do not want to give their children an animal as they feel like it is to much of an responsibility and they do not want to be the ones taking care of the pet in the end. But what if I tell you that there are a few animals that need very little care, so they are very good starter pets.
Of course before making the decision of getting a pet you should have the age of your children in mind and also know how much space you can offer to the animal. Before you finalize the decision you should also ask for more information about the pet you chose from professionals. A good choice would be to ask a veterinarian about what you have to know about the animal. Then you can also educate your children about the animal and maybe make a list of what the animal needs, with that list it might be easier for your children to keep track of what has to be done.
Now lets get to the Animals.
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The first animal is a Parakeet. They do not need a lot of space and they do not tend to do a lot of mess. They also are very loving animals and do give the love back that you give them. Also they can learn words if you engage with them often so they will at some point answer to questions. If you decide to open your family for a parakeet you must have in mind that they are fairly small so your child must now how to be respectful to them and to not startle them. This animal is generally suitable for smaller children. But you as a parent have to take care of the animal as well as smaller children can not yet clean up the cage their selves if they are of course older that might be something that they can do themselves. You also have to have in mind that Parakeets live for about 7 to 15 years so it is quite a long time to commit to an animal.
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The next animal is a Rat, Yes a Rat sounds weird as you first have the rats of the NYC subways in mind but they can be great Pets. They are super loving and show emotions and they also love to cuddle, and they are good learners. For your children that means that they can actively play with the rat and show them new tricks. Rats also like to be stipulated so your kid can build mazes and other quests for your rat. So there is a lot that your children can do to help and play with the animal. But what you have to consider when getting a rat is that they like to have a best friend that is also a rat so you must buy two for them to be happy. Also the life expectancy of a rat is somewhat around 3 years so you have to prepare yourself and your children for the case that the animal dies.
The last Pet that I want to present to you, actually the last two are cats and dogs. They are probably the mot popular pet choice. But they need quite a lot of work so they are not the best choice for all. Also you have to have to have in Mind that dogs and cats need more work than your children can do so you have to have in mind that you as a parent will have to do a lot of work yourself. Also cats and dogs are not the cheapest even if you get them from a shelter their medical bills are usually much more expensive than for other animals. And their life expectancy with more than 10 years is also a lot of commitment. With dogs children also learn that there is work that has to be done even though it is not the most pleasant, like picking up the poop. But other than that they are great friends for life and are great companions.
Having to take care of an animal is great for children to learn about responsibility. So it is great if you allow your children to have one. But always have in mind of what the animal needs. I hope this article helps you to find the right animal for your Family.
Sources:
https://www.petmd.com/dog/pet-lover/these-are-best-pets-kids-each-age (PetMD Editorial)(08/11/22)
https://www.healthline.com/health/best-pets-for-kids#fish (Dale Kiefer)(08/11/22)