How does pet ownership affect childhood development?

So many of us grew up with pets and have such fond memories of all the joy they brought to us.  But pet ownership is so much more.  It affects childhood development, including social, emotional and educational benefits.  This guide all of these are explored in detail.  There’s also information on how parents can safely introduce a family pet, encourage responsible pet ownership and embrace the role animals play in childhood development.

https://kidadl.com/animal-facts/pets-and-childhood-development-guide

Chapter 1

An introduction to pet ownership

• Why do we keep pets?

• Common family pets

• Number of US households that own a pet by type of animal

Chapter 2

The role of pets in childhood development

• Social, emotional and educational benefits

• Provide comfort and reassurance

• Help with or aid learning and improve confidence

• Encourage

• nurturing behavior

• Build deeper family bonds

• Improve health and encourage a healthy lifestyle

• Having multiple pets decreases a child’s risk of developing certain allergies

• Signs of stress in a pet

Chapter 3

Pets and neurodiverse

• What does science say?

• Autistic children

• Children with ADHD

• Neurodiversity and pet companionship

Chapter 4

Advice on getting a family pet

• Choosing the right pet for your family

• Questions to ask yourself – budget, space, time

• Encouraging responsible pet ownership

Article courtesy of Kidadl 

 

Photos courtesy of Unsplash