if you buy pet for your kid
By plumwish07
@plumwish07 (4057)
Indonesia
June 23, 2008 11:24pm CST
in my society, most of people who bought pet for their kids seem don't give education to their kid how to make those pet keep alive since i see their kids still under 5 years old. pets that i mean in here is about little turtles, little fish, little bird or even kind of snails.
what i see in here, after they bought those kind pets, they just let their kids playing with them and really supposed those pets as children toys. its not weird if after few days or even few hours those kind pets getting died 
actually why did they think as parents to give their kids this pets without any education how to treat this pets very well. after all it seems they bought it for the fun of their children (since in my opinion these kids are still under 5 years old) and underestimate this pets cause the price of them is very cheaper. as long as their kids happier, they don't mind at all if this pets getting died
actually why did they think as parents to give their kids this pets without any education how to treat this pets very well. after all it seems they bought it for the fun of their children (since in my opinion these kids are still under 5 years old) and underestimate this pets cause the price of them is very cheaper. as long as their kids happier, they don't mind at all if this pets getting died9 responses
@ssh123 (31073)
• India
24 Jun 08
To get a pet to the child helps in the following way:
1. The pet finds a home
2. The child learns the kindness, helping attitude
3. It learns so many good manners of the pet like gratitude etc.
4. It is also important that the child is taught to maintain the cleanliness of the pet.
There is a saying in our community that the cats should come on its own and join the family and the dogs should be purchased. I generally do not prefer the dogs because there is not much open space (in doors it stinks, despite daily or weekly bath to the dog). For over 50 years, our family has been keeping cats as pets and it is continued even today. My son is enjoying the company of cats and he really gets involved in serving the cat.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
24 Jun 08
The pet usually only finds a home temporarily. The pet will either be returned once the child is bored, or neglected.
Children don't learn kindness by being given sole responsibility for an animal. If they end up giving the animal to a shelter, they learn that pets are disposable. Children learn kindness by example, the example of their parents caring for the pets with the children helping in age appropriate ways.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
27 Jun 08
seems to me that parents need a lesson in taking care of these kind of pets before they buy them for the kids. When I was little I had a turtle and we had fish all I could do with them was to watch and feed them and keep their bowl clean neer could play with them
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
24 Jun 08
i think you are very right... living things are not the same as toys and if the parents are going to buy pets for their young children, they have to teach the kids to care for the pets too... not just as toys... i think it is quite hard to teach children under 5 to care for pets as they don't even know how to care for themselves properly yet... so i won't be buying my child pets when i have a child in the future when they are still too young to understand it... it kinds of cruel to kill animals like that... take care and have a nice day...
@mytwo_daughters (2663)
• United States
27 Jun 08
It does take an education to have a pet. My family wasn't educated in taking care of the dogs we had like they are now. My brother wasn't interested in taking care of his pets the right way anyway.
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
25 Jun 08
I have no children but think that if a parent purchases a pet, that parent should realize that they in the end will be responsible for that pet's upkeep, care, feeding, etc. as children, no matter how responsible they are, are not adults and need monitoring, reminders, assistance, etc. to care for anything let alone another living being.
@zhuuraan (961)
• United States
24 Jun 08
You are right. If a parent buys a pet for their child, they should teach them how to care for it properly, no matter what it is. If I bought a pet for my child, I would either help them take care of it, and all the while explain why you need to do things for the animal, or I would get a goldfish or something that you pretty much feed and clean the tank. I realize it's not the most fun pet in the world but it doesn't take much to take care of them so it is more appropriate for a young child. I love animals and so I can't stand people who do things that they know will get them killed.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
24 Jun 08
I don't think it is a good lesson for parents to buy a pet for their kids. As I've told potential adopters, "A furry animal is not going to teach your child responsibility, that is YOUR job as a parent."
Getting a pet for the entire family is different than getting a pet for a child. You just can't expect a child to be the sole caretaker or even the primary caretaker of the pet for its entire lifetime. It teaches them a better lesson to have a well cared for family pet, so that they see by example that the pet goes to the vet when it's sick, it always has a clean area and food, etc.
And when possible, adopting a pet is also a great lesson. And adoption isn't just for cats and dogs, almost any type of pet can be found in an animal shelter.
@KarenO52 (2950)
• United States
24 Jun 08
That's too bad they don't insist on the children caring for the pets properly. It's really up to the parents to ensure that the pets are cared for, but pets are a great way to teach children responsibility, and caring for another being. Every pet deserves good care.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
24 Jun 08
Well, I agree with you there, and also have concern about the child's safety as well as the development. We know two things about that. One is that little turtles can have a disease that could harm people, and the other is that people who tortured animals as children seem to have more likelihood of committing crimes of violence against other people as adults.
