Scared to get a pet

All parents know that they'll end up looking after the pets (it's the same with girlfriends, by the way - the guy always ends up looking after her pets). Makes it a bit of a difficult decision, in my opinion. I don't think you're "wrong" for denying them a pet. If they won't look after it, they don't deserve it. No point making an animal suffer just so kids can go "Oooh" for a couple of days. If you wanted some kind of compromise, a hamster is always a good choice: you can make an agreement that they'll clean it out and so on, as usual. If they don't, it's really quick to do (so less work for you) and they don't need a lot of attention (especially since they're nocturnal) - decent sized cage with tubes to make it interesting and they're happy.

No pets until they can look after it. Do you have a friends pet they could watch for a day? I fell into that trap with my first dog. My kids didn't look after her. It ended up being my job. Like I needed another lol. I now have 3 and my kids have to taken them out. They do because they wanted them not me. I threatened to get rid of the 1st one unless they helped. So now they walked the dogs and feed them. It wasn't easy but worked in the long run. You have to stand firm with you decision and not feel any guilt.

NOpe....it's like when people get a puppy...everyone wants it but no one wants to take it for a walk..feed it...all the little things that goes with it. Even at Easter they encourage you not to buy those little chicks etc as soon after easter they are abandoned!

No..you are never wrong. If they want to have some pets they must show care and responsibility. My kids loves dogs,so they always took care of those dogs,they have them bath and feed them on time. My sons even assisted our female dog the last time she had given birth to her puppies. You need to tell your kids that having pets is having responsibilities as well.

I love animals, especially cats. I am sorry that I have brought my cat to our country house, but she feels better living in the nature. She is already 15, she behaves well in a flat, but in summertime wants to live in the country side she used to live all her life. When I was a child I liked to visit my grandmother in the country and care for animals. I admit that keeping a pet in a flat might be both pleasant and problematic. In my childhood me and my sister had such pets as canaries, parrots, or hamsters.

hey! i have a marine aquarium and i really love it, but im really close to my cousins and because they live two streets away i go round their house allot and they have a cat and a parrot!

I don't think you are wrong at all if you don't think they have the responsibility to help take care of it. I think that when getting a pet, it should be considered an addition to the family. They need love and attention too. I have pets, but there was a time when I denied my children pets because I knew they wouldn't help me and I wasn't able to do it myself. Take care!

hi! its nice to know that your kids love to have pets but the drawback is their love for pets is a bit transient.. if they want to have one, they should take the responsibility of taking care of it.. like my little nephew, he takes care of my guinea pig when im not around, he feeds him too but not yet familiar of how to bathe it.. my father also reminds him if its time to feed my piggie and with no whines or questions he just goes to feed them because we share that responsibility.. on top of that, we both lover him :) its not wrong to deny what they want, whats more important is for them to realize the responsibility they will handle as pet owners. i would do the same thing for my child if i buy him a pet yet he wont take the responsibility.

If your children want a pet they should realise that's a big responsability cause it isn't a toy, it's a living thing which has a soul and needs and feelings...

I also think that you are right in your choice. Pets = responsibility. But, you defined yourseld as "not an animal lover". I think sometimes peaple can start to love pets only when they own them. I know somebody who didn't like cats at all, until age 65. when she retired she decided to give it a try. Then a whole new world was revealed to her - she took a kitten to her house, and now this cat is almost her all world - a true match! She was very surprised about how she has changed her negative opinion after having one. Mabey you'll be surprise to - mabey you will start to love the pet, and it won't be bad that you are the one who take care of it. I think it's important for children to grow up with pets near by. off course they still don't have a responsibility to take care of them - they need to learn how to take care for pets. They won't learn until they'll have one - a one that they can hug and pet - not like fish. So mabey then they'll learn and you won't be the only one who take care for the pet. good luck!:)

That is the way it is usually, children want a pet and then when the newness wears off they don't want to take care of them... and if the parent doesn't want the responsibility the poor animal suffers. If I were you, I would tell them that when they are grown and live on their own they can do what they want, but as long as you are the parent and they live with you, you won't get a pet. It's not fair to the pet if the children won't take care of them and the parent can't or doesn't want to. I'm not blaming you at all.. I think you should do what your head tells you and not your heart. **smile**

well in my case me and my son we both love different kinds of animals.. My son is only 2 years old when i got him love birds.. well his still too young that time so i need to take care of the birds that i bought for him and show him how to take care of it... in your case i guess you can allow your children to have pets but talked to them that they should be responsible on taking good care of it.. If you cant help them on taking care of there pets i think they can have a pet that they can take care for there age.. :)