One of the most consistent features of people around the world is the desire to have pets, and the degree of appreciation and care that generally goes into having a family pet.
We all tend to have fond memories of our childhood pets, once we’re grown up, and the family pet is as much a part of the general public image of a happy and contented home life as any other cosy suburban image you could care to name.
Here are just a few of the benefits of having a family pet.
Companionship and funny anecdotes
Perhaps the first and most obvious benefit of having a pet is that they just tend to be really good company, and can be reasonably well relied on to act as a balancing factor to whatever else might be going on in your life.
Your dog will always be happy to see you, no matter how frustrating things may be at the office. Your cat will always be there to lounge around and eye you skeptically. Even a hamster or a goldfish can help to serve as an anchoring force, and to present a comforting level of companionship.
Beyond the fact that your pets can be great company, though, there’s also the fact that they are often funny and cute, and can leave you with plenty of light-hearted moments to appreciate on a regular basis.
A great opportunity to teach the kids about responsibility
Everyone knows that it’s positive for kids to learn about responsibility, preferably at an early age. So much of what leads to a fulfilling and upstanding life – not to mention happy and stable relationships – has to do with embracing responsibility, and not shying away from personal obligations.
Family pets can present a great opportunity to teach your kids about responsibility in a controlled and measured environment.
You can begin by tasking your kids with feeding the dog or cat. Or, you can click here to see a selection of wild bird feeders, and can then task your kids with keeping those feeders topped up. Or, you could give your child the duty of regularly cleaning out the hamster’s cage.
An added dose of accountability to keep everyone active
Of course, if you are a parent you already have plenty of “accountability” mechanisms in your everyday life to keep you preoccupied. But perhaps still for your own sake, and certainly for your kids’ sakes, a pet can often serve as a great motivating force to stay active – physically and mentally.
Whether it’s walking the dog, feeding the fish, or any number of other pet-related tasks, a family pet just helps to get everyone out of their own heads more often, and into the world at large.
Suffice to say, this can be very useful for helping to overcome the occasional tendency to be lazy, or to ruminate excessively about whatever particular issue might be troubling you at that moment in time!
