by Ben Sissom

Created on: January 19, 2009   Last Updated: August 04, 2011

Teaching children the responsibility of caring for pets should start before the purchase. Too many times we fall for the cute little faces located behind the bars of a cage located inside a pet store or rescue center. It is innocent how we fall in love with the little creatures but fail to ask ourselves who really is going to take care of this addition to the family?

Asking these questions will help ensure that the lines of communication are open between you and your children. Other options are going to the library to research the type of pet and visiting with friends who have them will help determine what pet is right for your family. Letting your child "Pet sit" for a day will also show you the commitment they are able to provide at their age level. This will help you know what they will be able to handle before purchasing.

Unless you want to take care of the pet you should discuss feeding, cleaning and caring schedules. Calendars and chore lists help enormously when dealing with small children who tend to forget that their pet needs dinner just like they do. Son and daughters all over the world love to yell "What are we having for dinner?" but forget to feed their favorite pet because they are busy playing video games, watching TV. or hanging out with friends. Children need to know that pets need to be cared for on a schedule just like children by their parents; in essence they are the pet's parent now.

Approaching pets and parenting before purchasing will avoid many conflicts. Children will need to be reminded of their chores and for a short time you will need to monitor the pets feeding, cleaning and playing schedules. Remember children are new to this role, so they should be supervised.

Teaching children to care for pets is a process that needs to mature over time. Loving a pet is instant but caring for one will take some time. Be patient, loving and provide a good example for your children to model.

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