Teaching Responsibility with Pets

All right, so you know that responsibility is a very important thing for a child to start learning, even at an early age. There are several different ways to teach your child responsibility, and one of the best ways to do it, is with pet ownership. If the idea of a pet startles you, relax, because there are more options than you may think.Consider your limitations, and go from there. For instance, if you do not have a lot of money to spare on the purchase of a pet, or the landlord will not allow them—you will have to go for something different than your standard cat or dog. Research your options based on your situation, and when you have settled on something, even it is just a fish, you will have your new teaching method!Children will learn responsibility through the care of the animal. Choose something that they can handle. You would not want a four year old to be solely responsible for the care of a puppy, but he can play a role. Allow the child to take part in feeding, bathing (if required) and overall general care of the animal, but remember: do not ask too much of the child, be prepared to pick up whatever slack the child may leave, and do not take the fun out of it. Reward your child in small ways for remembering to take care of his responsibilities, and when he or she does not, remind him of the consequences. For example, if Sarah doesn’t feed her fish, the fish will get sick. Tell her that a sick fish is not the pet she wants or needs, and her compassion for keeping the animal healthy will entice her to remember to feed it. Punishing the child for forgetting, however, is not recommended at a young age. Think back to when you potty trained—lots of hugs for job well done, and a try again next time for an accident.