I believe it's a good idea, but it's YOUR responsibility to make sure the pet doesn't suffer for it. Kids are kids, & there'll be times when you need to step in. If YOU are taking care of the animal more than they are, it's time to have a talk with them about it. If it's okay with you to be caring for said pet, then everything's fine. If not, you need to find it a good home.
Lee - 10 years ago
take your child to the pound and show them,what unplaind kids are about
Nanette Wagner - 10 years ago
The child(ren) should already show a trend of being responsible. Ultimately, the parents are responsible for the well-being of the pet.
Personally, if my children where asking for the pet I would make them do the same research I would do to determine all factors involved; from breed of pet (personality and energy level), grooming, feeding needs, training, everyone on the same page with training, life span, age of animal, pet medical insurance, choosing a vet, plans for when the pet has pet-sitting needs etc.
Once the research has been done, then the involved parties will discuss it and the decision to be made.
As a parent, and the responsible one, if I am unable to properly care for the animal in place of the child then it would not happen. If the child was not responsible enough to do the research, it would not happen (depending on the pet desired).
Some children are ready and should be given the opportunity. Like anything else in child rearing, allowing them more responsibility within the confines of the family allows for teaching and growing moments, in a safe environment, that help them become productive, contributing and hopefully stable adults.
Lillian - 10 years ago
In no circumstance should a pet be used as a learning tool for anything. Parents need to give their children certain chores around the house to teach them responsibility. It also teaches them not to be lazy. and that as they get older they will have a regular job outside the house. And parents need to give an allowance once a week for doing their chores. This in turn teaches them how to handle money and how to best put it to good use for what they want. All in all having chores is far better and teaches way more than a pet could ever possibly do.
TulsaKim - 10 years ago
Depends on the parents and children in the family. Somebody in the mix has to be an animal lover or all it will teach is violence and hatred towards animals with no responsibility learned on the adult or child side. Children still need guidance on how to treat a pet with love and kindness and never violence. As in humane behavior, violence or hitting leads to violence and hitting in all aspects of their life. If the entire family if afraid, don't know why anybody would be, of cats then no they should not be a cat parent.
Marilyn - 10 years ago
The non-profit animal rescue group that I was part of never adopted animals to families that were looking for a pet to teach responsibility. Ditto if they wanted to have a litter to teach the miracle of life. Our founder was vehemently against this. Instead, I'm afraid they got a lecture about how you taught responsibility by example and if the parents weren't willing to commit to the responsibility, they couldn't have one of our animals. Also, we wouldn't adopt if the dog was going to be totally outside. Especially if it was a puppy. The thought behind this was that if a puppy was totally outside, it would not get the socialization and training that it needed to become a cherished pet. This was especially true after the initial excitement had worn off. We often got these animals returned at a year old because they had turned destructive due to lack of attention. It was sometimes heartbreaking. These are living, breathing beings with feelings and physical needs. They should never be used for family experiments.
Abbie - 10 years ago
A childhood is brief and complicated by stages and changes in focus and interest. A pet should not be subjected to this whirlwind situation, but should instead be the responsibility of the parent(s). Responsibility can then be taught by example and by assigning age appropriate tasks. Kids have so much more to learn these days, and so many more distractions. This is not the pet's fault.
Growing up, I wanted a pony more than anything. Instead, I got five ponies, and the job of running a pony ride during the warm months, to help earn money for the family. It was my job to get up early to feed and care for them, and to come straight home after school, to do the evening chores. The entire responsibility (except for vet bills, farrier bills, and the cost of hay) was mine, from the time I was seven, sunshine or snow. I loved my ponies and learned a lot from them. And I took pride in being able to contribute, in whatever small way, to the family income. Still, I grew up and left home, and the ponies then became my mother's responsibility. A couple of them lived long enough for my own sons to ride them.
Jennie - 10 years ago
Families differ. I know of a family who bought a rabbit in the summer for the 2 children to "learn responsibility". By the winter when it got chilly and dark the rabbit went into solitary confinement. Parents have to take responsibility for the children taking responsibility. A better scenario, especially with dogs and cats is that the parents take full responsibilty and allocate tasks to the children, rather than the complete responsibility. Wonderful story above Rivah Mitch.
Hugh - 10 years ago
You've got it backwards. First, teach your children responsibility. THEN get them a pet.
RivahMitch - 10 years ago
Lived on a small (1/3 acre) suburban lot surrounded by neighbors. We had a small Scottie. One summer, while my wife and kids were visiting my mother in the country, they spied a litter of larger dogs (Belgian Shepard mixes) and oldest daughter fussed about one of the puppies each night when they called. My response was that the Scottie was fine for our lot but that a ledger dog would require an expensive fence. Her rejoinder was that she would pay half the $1500 cost for the fence. We reluctantly agreed. She was about 12 at the time.
Upon coming home from the country with her puppy, she wrote $750 on the kitchen calendar and put up another sheet of paper next to it. Each time she would babysit, she'd record the part of her earnings she gave to her mother. She paid off the fence in less than a year and has always been an exemplary child and adult. I don't give the credit to Tar Baby (her name for a great dog who lived to be 17) but our daughter went on to earn her BS and MS degrees and become a school principal by the time she was 30 and I'd certainly say that the dog and fence experience helped develop her character and sense of responsibility;-)
RivahMitch - 10 years ago
Lived on a small (i/3 acre) suburban lot surrounded by neighbors. We has a small Scottie. One summer, while my wife and kids were visiting my mother in the country, they spied a litter of larger dogs (Belgian Shepard mixes) and oldest daughter fussed about one of the puppies each night when they called. My response was that the Scottie was fine for our lot but that a ledger dog would require an expensive fence. Her rejoinder was that she would pay half the $1500 cost for the fence. We reluctantly agreed. She was about 12 at the time.
Upon coming home from the country with her puppy, she wrote $750 on the kitchen calendar and put up another sheet of paper next to it. Each time she would babysit, she'd record the part of her earnings she gave to her mother. She paid off the fence in less than a year and has always been an exemplary child and adult. I don't give the credit to Tar Baby (her name for a great dog who lived to be 17) but our daughter went on to earn her BS and MS degrees and become a school principal by the time she was 30 and I'd certainly say that the dog and fence experience helped develop her character and sense of responsibility;-)
Steve - 10 years ago
Taking on a pet is a big commitment. If parents want to do this to teach responsibility, perhaps a better way to accomplish this would be to become temporary fosters for no kill shelters. That way, they teach the child about loving animals, but if for some reason the circumstances don't work out, the time is limited and the pet does not suffer being returned to possibly a kill shelter through no fault of it's own. Most no kill groups properly screen and monitor their fosters, so this would accomplish the parents well intended goal of teaching responsibility and it would open up the no kill shelters to pull yet another pet from the extraordinarily high volumes of kill shelters.
Crystal - 10 years ago
As long as the kids are age appropriate and the type/size of dog is appropriate for kids, and the parents have the time to teach the kids how to care for, love and respect the dog, then I think it's a great idea. If the parents are too busy themselves to invest the kind of time it takes to really teach thier kids how to handle and respect the family dog and go with the child and puppy through puppy socialization classes and at least one basic obedience course, then I feel it's not a good idea to get a family dog.
I believe it's a good idea, but it's YOUR responsibility to make sure the pet doesn't suffer for it. Kids are kids, & there'll be times when you need to step in. If YOU are taking care of the animal more than they are, it's time to have a talk with them about it. If it's okay with you to be caring for said pet, then everything's fine. If not, you need to find it a good home.
take your child to the pound and show them,what unplaind kids are about
The child(ren) should already show a trend of being responsible. Ultimately, the parents are responsible for the well-being of the pet.
Personally, if my children where asking for the pet I would make them do the same research I would do to determine all factors involved; from breed of pet (personality and energy level), grooming, feeding needs, training, everyone on the same page with training, life span, age of animal, pet medical insurance, choosing a vet, plans for when the pet has pet-sitting needs etc.
Once the research has been done, then the involved parties will discuss it and the decision to be made.
As a parent, and the responsible one, if I am unable to properly care for the animal in place of the child then it would not happen. If the child was not responsible enough to do the research, it would not happen (depending on the pet desired).
Some children are ready and should be given the opportunity. Like anything else in child rearing, allowing them more responsibility within the confines of the family allows for teaching and growing moments, in a safe environment, that help them become productive, contributing and hopefully stable adults.
In no circumstance should a pet be used as a learning tool for anything. Parents need to give their children certain chores around the house to teach them responsibility. It also teaches them not to be lazy. and that as they get older they will have a regular job outside the house. And parents need to give an allowance once a week for doing their chores. This in turn teaches them how to handle money and how to best put it to good use for what they want. All in all having chores is far better and teaches way more than a pet could ever possibly do.
Depends on the parents and children in the family. Somebody in the mix has to be an animal lover or all it will teach is violence and hatred towards animals with no responsibility learned on the adult or child side. Children still need guidance on how to treat a pet with love and kindness and never violence. As in humane behavior, violence or hitting leads to violence and hitting in all aspects of their life. If the entire family if afraid, don't know why anybody would be, of cats then no they should not be a cat parent.
The non-profit animal rescue group that I was part of never adopted animals to families that were looking for a pet to teach responsibility. Ditto if they wanted to have a litter to teach the miracle of life. Our founder was vehemently against this. Instead, I'm afraid they got a lecture about how you taught responsibility by example and if the parents weren't willing to commit to the responsibility, they couldn't have one of our animals. Also, we wouldn't adopt if the dog was going to be totally outside. Especially if it was a puppy. The thought behind this was that if a puppy was totally outside, it would not get the socialization and training that it needed to become a cherished pet. This was especially true after the initial excitement had worn off. We often got these animals returned at a year old because they had turned destructive due to lack of attention. It was sometimes heartbreaking. These are living, breathing beings with feelings and physical needs. They should never be used for family experiments.
A childhood is brief and complicated by stages and changes in focus and interest. A pet should not be subjected to this whirlwind situation, but should instead be the responsibility of the parent(s). Responsibility can then be taught by example and by assigning age appropriate tasks. Kids have so much more to learn these days, and so many more distractions. This is not the pet's fault.
Growing up, I wanted a pony more than anything. Instead, I got five ponies, and the job of running a pony ride during the warm months, to help earn money for the family. It was my job to get up early to feed and care for them, and to come straight home after school, to do the evening chores. The entire responsibility (except for vet bills, farrier bills, and the cost of hay) was mine, from the time I was seven, sunshine or snow. I loved my ponies and learned a lot from them. And I took pride in being able to contribute, in whatever small way, to the family income. Still, I grew up and left home, and the ponies then became my mother's responsibility. A couple of them lived long enough for my own sons to ride them.
Families differ. I know of a family who bought a rabbit in the summer for the 2 children to "learn responsibility". By the winter when it got chilly and dark the rabbit went into solitary confinement. Parents have to take responsibility for the children taking responsibility. A better scenario, especially with dogs and cats is that the parents take full responsibilty and allocate tasks to the children, rather than the complete responsibility. Wonderful story above Rivah Mitch.
You've got it backwards. First, teach your children responsibility. THEN get them a pet.
Lived on a small (1/3 acre) suburban lot surrounded by neighbors. We had a small Scottie. One summer, while my wife and kids were visiting my mother in the country, they spied a litter of larger dogs (Belgian Shepard mixes) and oldest daughter fussed about one of the puppies each night when they called. My response was that the Scottie was fine for our lot but that a ledger dog would require an expensive fence. Her rejoinder was that she would pay half the $1500 cost for the fence. We reluctantly agreed. She was about 12 at the time.
Upon coming home from the country with her puppy, she wrote $750 on the kitchen calendar and put up another sheet of paper next to it. Each time she would babysit, she'd record the part of her earnings she gave to her mother. She paid off the fence in less than a year and has always been an exemplary child and adult. I don't give the credit to Tar Baby (her name for a great dog who lived to be 17) but our daughter went on to earn her BS and MS degrees and become a school principal by the time she was 30 and I'd certainly say that the dog and fence experience helped develop her character and sense of responsibility;-)
Lived on a small (i/3 acre) suburban lot surrounded by neighbors. We has a small Scottie. One summer, while my wife and kids were visiting my mother in the country, they spied a litter of larger dogs (Belgian Shepard mixes) and oldest daughter fussed about one of the puppies each night when they called. My response was that the Scottie was fine for our lot but that a ledger dog would require an expensive fence. Her rejoinder was that she would pay half the $1500 cost for the fence. We reluctantly agreed. She was about 12 at the time.
Upon coming home from the country with her puppy, she wrote $750 on the kitchen calendar and put up another sheet of paper next to it. Each time she would babysit, she'd record the part of her earnings she gave to her mother. She paid off the fence in less than a year and has always been an exemplary child and adult. I don't give the credit to Tar Baby (her name for a great dog who lived to be 17) but our daughter went on to earn her BS and MS degrees and become a school principal by the time she was 30 and I'd certainly say that the dog and fence experience helped develop her character and sense of responsibility;-)
Taking on a pet is a big commitment. If parents want to do this to teach responsibility, perhaps a better way to accomplish this would be to become temporary fosters for no kill shelters. That way, they teach the child about loving animals, but if for some reason the circumstances don't work out, the time is limited and the pet does not suffer being returned to possibly a kill shelter through no fault of it's own. Most no kill groups properly screen and monitor their fosters, so this would accomplish the parents well intended goal of teaching responsibility and it would open up the no kill shelters to pull yet another pet from the extraordinarily high volumes of kill shelters.
As long as the kids are age appropriate and the type/size of dog is appropriate for kids, and the parents have the time to teach the kids how to care for, love and respect the dog, then I think it's a great idea. If the parents are too busy themselves to invest the kind of time it takes to really teach thier kids how to handle and respect the family dog and go with the child and puppy through puppy socialization classes and at least one basic obedience course, then I feel it's not a good idea to get a family dog.