CHILDREN AND PETS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TWO LIVING TOGETHER

Pets are sweet, friendly housemates who bring love and joy into everyday life. They are loyal and know how to be supportive at any time, whether it is a celebration or an unexpected disappointment. They are often so central to people's lives that when you find out that you are expecting a baby, you don't know what to do. There are so many questions, such as whether the four-legged friend will accept the baby, whether they will get along well or whether it could become potentially aggressive. These are the same questions you ask yourself when your child asks for a pet, with cheeky soft and tender eyes. The time has finally come to answer all these questions and to understand how best to manage living with a child and a pet.

First of all, we must remember that dogs are not a threat to children, but on the contrary, they are good for their growth and health. In addition to the physical and mental stimuli that the pet can transmit to the child, living together with a pet allows the child to learn the importance of respecting diversity and being responsible. This is because caring for a pet allows you to experience, in a very natural way, what it means to care for another living being. 

In addition to responsibility, another aspect that is developed through the presence of a pet is communication. In fact, thanks to the dialogue created between child and animal, it is possible to understand that there are not only words to convey a concept but also gestures, verses and body posture. Children can learn how, for example, purring can signify a cat's enjoyment of cuddles or how a dog's growling is synonymous with anger. Therefore, the relationship that is established represents a logopaedic training ground for the child, who sees in the animal's understanding and reaction a positive feedback of its way of communicating.

All these elements contribute to creating the child's personality and emotional sphere. Especially in the case of children who do not have siblings or who are very shy, pets are the perfect friends to lean on in times of anxiety and fear but also of joy and happiness. Seeing a pet as a magical friend to whom the child can confide their secrets and to whom they can rely on in case of need does not lead the child to withdraw but, on the contrary, to become confident that there is always someone by their side who will never judge and who will love them unconditionally. 

Pets truly are formidable companions for children, enabling them to understand and experience at first hand important values such as loyalty, responsibility and friendship. What precautions should be taken? Make children understand that animals are not toys and that each has its own space and needs. Once this concept is understood, they will be sure to get on well together.

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