Children that have pets are healthier?
By pandora22
@pandora22 (868)
Romania
January 15, 2012 4:49am CST
I have many friends that have children.Most of them workall day and they don't have to musch time to spend with the kids.I am talking here about children between 4-8 years.In many of their cases i observed that the kids were sitting all the time in front of the computer playing pc games,watching tv in stead of going outside and have a healthy play time.I know that this is s common problem our days because the parents are to busy and they are just happy to know that the kid is safe at home.But this habbits lead to children obesity,depresion and other health problems not talking about the social efects.Beeing a vet i suggested to many of them to buy a cat or dog to the kid.Some of them did,some replied that an animal shouldn't stay in the house with the kid(an old mentality that i could not change even with my well based arguments).Aftyer a year i saw the changes in the children whose parents tkaed my advice for good.They are better at school,have friends that they meet in the park when they go to play with the dogs,they don't spend so much time in front of the pc,the weight problems and depresion are gone and they learn how to be responsable.So i ask you don't you belive is better to get a pet to children like this than to let them stay glued in frontof the pc?Many parents are satisfied with knowing the kid "safe " in front of the tv or pc?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
15 Jan 12
I read in the paper not so long ago that a lot of the kids today that did not have pets while growing up can develope asthmas, I think my having pets and getting dirty as my mum used to say is the best thing for kids...
@pandora22 (868)
• Romania
15 Jan 12
yes tou are right.the parents believe that keeping away the children from animals and dirt will keep them safe from diseses.in fact they only do harm because the children don't develope their imune system the way they should so when they grow up they are more sesitive to diseases,alergens,etc.this has been proved.another fear of parents are parasites as worms.i know kids that don't interact with pets and they had infestation problems,meanwhile the ones that have right taked cared pets have no problem.i personally live between animals and nature since i was little and i never had severe health problems
@deodavid (4150)
• Philippines
19 Apr 12
Hi there pandora,
Great advice anyway you are a vet right well is your office near Valenzuela my lab kinda needs the 5 in 1 shot and i hope you can also take a look into him if he needs more exercise food or whatever you can suggest for his health he is bigger i mean taller than your average lab and he is kinda not very domesticated at times but he is gentle.
Anyway yeah better have pets at home it kinda helps in building the responsibility of a kid in the long run and at the same time they become better people.
@pandora22 (868)
• Romania
21 Apr 12
you already found out where i am from,but if you need online tips about your lab don't be scared to ask.i won't bite :)
@Galena (9110)
•
16 Jan 12
oh definitely.
even if it's the sort of pet that doesn't encourage outdoor play or exercise, children with pets have much fewer allergies, and are less likely to have athsma or excema.
far from being unhygienic, the exposure to pets helps a child build up a strong and healthy immune system.
I always find it very strange when people grow up without any pets. we had dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, ferrets, rats, hamsters, fish, birds, a tarantula.
as well as being good for health, having pets teaches children not to be selfish, by caring for another living creature. it teaches them responsibility and empathy, as the animals can't talk in words, so they have to read them in other way to understand how they are feeling and how to treat them well.
I think that children raised without animals miss out on some very vital parts of emotional development.
@pandora22 (868)
• Romania
16 Jan 12
yes the children that grow with pets learn to share and to be more social.they fit better in comunities and their whole social life improves.it is proved in the autist children that having a pet emproves their state.
@obe212003 (2299)
• Philippines
16 Jan 12
my 4-year-old son used to watch TV/DVD movies most of the time and also playing on my computer, and i was really convinced that it had affected him socially and intellectually, and much more doing mostly sitting and staring on the screen. when my sister gave me a dog, his behavior drastically changed as if he really learned some responsibilities of having a dog, lol! he was more up and running around, and seems to be more enjoying more with the company of his new found friend.
@pandora22 (868)
• Romania
16 Jan 12
i can see that you are an positive example of what a pet can change.i know that pets are a huge responsability but in the same time i belive that the effort of taking care of them worths.i forgot to mention in the main post that not obly the children benefit from having an animal.is is proved that the adults that have an pet are less exposed to heart strikes and less nervous.having a pet reduces stress and this is a good thing for the whole family.
@Triple0 (1904)
• Australia
16 Jan 12
A family pet wouldn't hurt and I reckon having a pet is a good benefit for the kids. When I was a kid I use to have heaps of pets from chickens to dogs but now I have no pets as I'm too busy to look after them. I was really happy back then and loved all my pets. They teach kids to have some responsibility as well while keeping them fit and healthy. Such like giving the dog a bath or a walk, it uses up energy. Even a cat can be fun even though like just lie around, at least your child won't be brainwashed right in front of the television. It's better to get a very active pet, small pets are even better like rabbits as they require minimal cleaning necessities and don't damage things compared to dogs.
Kids these days are way too occupied sitting in front of the TV or the computer, simply playing games and chatting to friends. I have a few cousins who don't bother watching after their dogs anymore as they're too busy on the computer.
@pandora22 (868)
• Romania
16 Jan 12
i agree.the fact that parents are busy is not an excuse.they can always chose a pet that doesn't require a lot of time for beeing cared.a pet like fish,rabbit,hamster are most welcomed and proper for the begining and unexperienced people.
@pandora22 (868)
• Romania
16 Jan 12
:) you really have a crowd of pets.i wish you to be all happy and healthy.
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
15 Jan 12
If parents have no time for the kids they also have no time to take care of the pets. Kids in the age between 4-8 years old are not able to take care of a pet. The world is full with pets having a bad life, abandoned, forgotten, stay in the shed outside, people too lazy to walk with their dogs. Most adults are already not able to take care of pets. The shelters are full with dumped animals. No a pet is no substitute toy for a kid.
@pandora22 (868)
• Romania
15 Jan 12
i am not talking about a dog being a toy substitute.beeing a vet i know how many pets are abandoned but i had my first pet at 6 years and i learned to take care of him.the parents i refer are not that busy so they can't actually take care for an animal.i am talking about those parents who belive that the most easy way of growing a child is to put him in front of the pc while they drink cofee and smoke with their friends.
