Approaching Pet Care with Preschoolers

After much deliberating, you've decided to invite a pet into your family. You've done your research on appropriate pets, and, of course, your children have PROMISED they will care for it.

Here are a few tips to make sure your children are involved in the pet's care.

1. Make sure your pet care expectations are realistic with respect to your child's age. Children less than ten to twelve years of age don't have the emotional maturity to be completely responsible for a pet. Younger children can, however, assist you in caring for the pet, learning responsibility along the way.
2. Make sure any tasks given directly to your children are within their abilities. Adult supervision is also recommended.
3. Set up a pet care routine that coincides with your children's daily routines. For example, children can be required to feed pets before they eat their own meal, such as breakfast.
4. Make a weekly or monthly chart of animal care responsibilities and hang it somewhere the kids can see it. Every time your child fulfills a task, he or she gets to make a check mark or add a sticker on the chart. This way your children can review their accomplishments with pride and you have a better sense of what has been done.
5. Create a pet journal and encourage your child to make notes or draw pictures in it every day. This will help nurture a stronger sense of responsibility for the pet.
6. Have your child be involved in creating your pet's habitat. This will help promote a sense of ownership and responsibility.

For more information, please see the following books from Kids Can Press:

• My Pet Kitten by Marilyn Baillie
• My Pet Puppy by Marilyn Baillie
• My Pet Hamster by Lyn Thomas

By Rochelle Strauss