As difficult as it can be to raise respectful kids, when we’ve got a pet in the household, it can go one of two ways- the children may find themselves getting bored of the pet, and shirk their duties, or they will go the other way and do everything they can. While most families have a pet, getting our children to take more responsibility for the pets is something many parents don't tend to do. Usually, it's because it's easier for us to do the tasks rather than ask the children for the millionth time! What is the solution?
Rewarding The Kids
A very simple approach is to reward the children, and it's a practice that seems to work well with younger kids. As they get older, you can gradually take away the reward system, or make the reward different. But to begin with, if you want to instill in your children the habit of looking after them, then we've got to find a way to engage the children until this habit sets in. Sometimes the simplest methods are the best!
Making The Duties Fun And Interesting
This is always easier said than done, but there are always fun tasks to do, not just playing with the dog, but walking them as well. The fact is, if you are forcing your children to do the more mundane tasks, it's hardly a surprise that they get bored quickly and rebel. Instead, think about the more fun aspects of looking after the dog, or, at the very least, incorporating fun activities into the essentials. Brushing the pets, for example, could be a great excuse to play with the dog. And you could ask your children to go and play with the dog, but while they're at it, they need to make sure that the dog is brushed. It's important that you figure out the right way to word it. A lot of the conflict between our children comes from the fact that we tell our children to do something because we've “said so”. It shouldn't be much of a surprise that they refuse to do it. But rather, take the subtle approach, and give your children the fun things to do, but sneak in and essential task without placing too much importance on it, and the task will be done, and the children will spend time with the pet!
Getting The Children To Be Aware Of The Consequences
And, if your kids are too clever, or savvy to your tactics, then making your children aware of the consequences of their actions could force them to take more responsibility. If your dog is unwell, and you are dispensing medication or alternative therapies like CBD oil, and you ask your child to dispense the medication, this is a lot of pressure. Not only do we have to be aware of the CBD oil for dogs dosage, but we also have to ensure we are giving it at the right time, and what we're doing is actually of benefit to the dog. If your children are old enough, then you can supervise them with this duty, but as with any medication, there are strict instructions to be adhered to. This can be a lot of responsibility for a child, but there may be times in life when they have to step up to the plate- as long as they’re old enough! For example, if you know that there will be times you're not going to be home, if you teach the child how to administer the medication and reinforce how important it is that this is done, then it will be a great way to teach them responsibility.
In many ways, responsibility for a pet is the perfect stepping stone. If your children can look after their pets completely, then as they get older, you can trust them with more things. And not only does it take a load off us, but teaching children that responsibility is something we have to do as soon as possible. When we have pets or numerous duties to perform, if our children say no, and dig their heels in so many times, we can feel tempted to give up for an easy life. But it's very important that we teach our children the various responsibilities of life, and a pet can be the perfect starting point. After all, pets require care and attention, but not too much, and this can help our children develop into caring people. And even if you don't have pets, a dog isn't just a great way to teach our children responsibility, but it can help us to grow together as a family. There's nothing quite like a dog that gives you love and affection regardless!
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