Having pets is as common as having siblings in western countries and there might be a strong reason behind it.
Pets are a source of fun and positivity for any family. Some studies have shown that they help kids develop their learning and stay healthier, all while providing comfort and encouraging nurturing. Besides, pets make families grow closer and stronger, improving the overall family bonding experience. They are undoubtedly the best companions for a kid to have a life full of adventures and laughter.
Here are 5 lessons kids learn when they grow up with Dogs
#1:A Life Lesson in Responsibility
Looking for an opportunity to teach your child an important life lesson? Taking care of a living being is different than being responsible for unloading the dishwasher. From walking, bathing, feeding, and picking up after- these are all tasks that your child could do for the household pet.
#2: Kids Who Grow Up With Dogs are Healthier
Immune system:
Recent studies in pediatric health have concluded that children who lived with pets (but especially dogs) during their first year of life actually had a better immune system than those who did not. They believe that exposure to dogs may have positively boosted the maturation of their immune system during infancy. In addition, when they did fall ill, they needed a shorter course of antibiotics compared to the children who did not live with pets.
Allergies:
Another study found that predisposed children (at least one parent suffers from) respiratory allergies or Asthma are much less likely to develop similar issues if they have a dog in the house. They found that early exposure is key. Children who had a dog after the first year of birth had no added health benefits.
Skin:
Recent studies found that dogs actually protect children who are at risk for eczema. In fact, children with dog allergies, who did not have dogs in the home, were four times more likely to develop eczema than those who did.
#3 Better Emotional Intelligence
Caring for another life will require your child to become a more compassionate individual. Feeding or walking them, at times they may have other things they would rather be doing, will mean that they have to step outside of themselves, and practice being selfless. A teacher who participated in a study about classroom pets said, “Having pets is an INVALUABLE aid for helping the children gain pride, caring, and empathy for the needs of themselves and others”.
In addition, caring for a pet builds a child’s self-esteem. Accomplishing small tasks such as filling up their water dish, will help them feel like they are competent and will also give them a sense of accomplishment.
Children with dogs in the home had reduced anxiety levels and reduced amount of perceived stress. In short, DOGS = HAPPINESS!
#4 More Play and Exercise
Trying to find a way to pry your kids off of the couch and away from screen time?
Try adopting a dog!
On average, children who have a dog in the home exercise an average of 11 minutes more per day than those who do not have a dog. Those minutes may not seem like a lot, but they add up to 5.5 hours a month and 66 hours per year!
#5 Therapy
A perfect partner to fight stress, depression, autism, or any kind of mental issue. Dogs are proven to be the best moving remedy. They help a depressed person in lots of ways such as:
- Dog provides a sense of security
- Decrease meltdowns
- Decrease anxiety and acts of aggression
- Increased willingness to try new things
- Increased ability to face a fearful situation
- Increases social interaction due to the dog being an ice breaker and taking the focus off the child’s disability
- Encourages verbal communication, increased vocabulary
For the healthy growth of your kids and yourself, try adopting a dog! 🙂
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