It is a great feeling when you come home after a long day and your furry friend welcomes you home. Interacting with a pet is equally important for children, as it is for adults. And above all, growing in a home with a dog or a cat (or any other type of pets) brings a number of benefits for your kid’s health.
Pets make your kids more active
Playing with a dog or taking it for a long walk in the park is the best physical exercise for your kid. Eventually, this increased physical activity reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases and childhood obesity, which is becoming increasingly relevant in developed countries.
Pets relieve stress
There is a clear correlation between owning a pet and reduced stress levels. While interacting with pets, kids get valuable emotional support from their four-legged friends, which helps bring down their stress level. The scientific explanation for this is that children who have a pet around, have lower cortisol levels (‘the stress hormone’).
Pets benefit mental health
Dogs and cats (but dogs in the first place) can help your kid live a mentally healthier life. Children from pet-owning families experience fewer depressions and anxieties than kids who live in homes without pets. Owning a dog is particularly beneficial for children diagnosed with ADHD and autism.
Pets reduce allergies
Being exposed to a pet at an early age (under that age of one) can prevent kid’s allergies in the future. This happens because while petting the pet or playing with it strengthens your child’s immune system to fight allergies.
When next time your kid approaches you and says, “Mommy, I want a puppy” (a kitten/a parrot/a guinea pig – underline as applicable), take some time to think about all the benefits that this decision can bring to your kid’s health. Maybe you should give it a try?
Why is it Good to Have a Pet?
