Children & Pets

People always say don’t work with children or animals, but what about living with both? Having pets when you have small children can be a daunting prospect, but there are ways to make it work!

At a young age, children struggle to understand how to handle animals with the care and patience that they often require. Pets can also be hard to read, even for adults! So children might not notice when their loyal dog has had too much ear pulling. So what is the best way to approach this?

Whatever pets you have, it is always important to watch what your child is doing when they are around animals. This means ensuring that they are being gentle, and that neither the child or pet is going to hurt the other one. Encouraging short, gentle interactions to begin with will help build up trust, as well as confidence for your child when interacting with their pet.

It is also recommended by a lot of pet shops and animal charities that children under five should have caged pets such as hamsters or gerbils. They could also have pets that are kept in a tank, such as fish, which are recommended for children who like to stick their fingers through cages!

However, if you already have a bigger pet, make sure that both the child and the pet have their own space away from each other. This can be enforced by a baby gate, and ensures that they don’t accidentally cross paths or hurt each other.

It is also given that when children are so young, whatever pet you have in the home is not their responsibility. Getting your child to help out with feeding time or cleaning out is good for building responsibility, but they are too young to care for a pet properly and ensure that it has a good life! Ensure that you have the time and energy to make sure a pet is carefully looked after.

When it comes to pets and children, it is a personal choice. If you have any pets at home, we would love to see them with your little ones via Tapestry!

We would also love to hear your opinions on this topic in the comments below! What age do you think your child should be before you get them a pet?