Parenting.com Article - Teach Kids Proper Pet Care

While I don't have kids {yet}, plenty of my friends do and I also work with many kids every summer through our county 4H program. A common theme I have observed is kids getting really excited to pick out a pet and bring it home...and then a few weeks later the excitement is over and the chores tend to fall to the parent. So how do you keep kids interested and enthusiastic past that initial excitement?

Teach Kids Proper Pet Care: Keep kids interested and invested past the pet store

Some kids will promise to do anything in order get a new pet, but it can quickly become a challenge to get them to follow through with their pet-care chores after the novelty wears off (and trust us, it will). Planning, parental involvement and open communication can make pet ownership a positive experience for all family members.

1. Make a list of all pet-care responsibilities, and talk with your children about which chores they feel they can handle. It's better to give a child an easy daily chore than a difficult one that occurs less frequently. Discuss why the chore is important and what could happen to their pet if the chore is not done (the animal could go hungry or get sick, for example). Make sure all family members participate in chores, and rotate those chores. Remember to serve as a role model. Children can learn responsible pet care by observing your behavior.

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Have you tried any of these suggestion? What have you found to work with your kids?

Check out my other Parenting.com articles:

Pet Owners: Avoid Poisonous Plants When Preparing Your Yard For Spring