The schools are nearing the end of the summer term and parents are starting to think ahead to the 6 week summer holidays. Here at Not Just Pets we believe that it is a great time to think about buying a pet! Let us look at the advantages of getting a pet at this time of the year and also give you other information to think about.
Advantages of getting a pet for children at this time of year
Plenty of time to enjoy new pet – With six week off school the children will have plenty of time to play with and bond with their new pet. Without the busy mornings and homework filled afternoons.
Holiday research project – For older children this can be a good project for your child to research and read up on the pet they wish to adopt. You will be confident that they are committed to the pet if they take their time and do a good job.
Time to bond and set up a routine – Owning a pet requires a routine of feeding, grooming, playing and health checking. This all needs to be done to make sure your pet stays healthy and happy. The holidays will give enough time to be able to work out what and when things need doing without worries of other deadlines and projects. This will ease the pressure of your pet settling in.
Outside play, exercise and physical activity – Children with pets benefit from extra outdoor play and exercise. With longer daylight hours and nicer weather children will be outdoors playing with their pet. It depends on your type of pet of course!
A great way to introduce responsibility – Owning a pet is a great way to introduce children to responsibility. Even when the parent remains the main care giver for the animal you can give children age appropriate tasks to help care for the pet. Young children can help pour out water and food at dinner time. Older children can help groom and tidy their pets environment. Teens and young adults may be mature enough to be the main carer for some pets such as reptiles and small animals.
Owning animals also offers an experience of life and death. We don’t like to think about it but sometimes the worst happens and this can teach children about bereavement.
Pets can help with our children’s learning – Some children feel more confident tackling their homework when they have a pet to help. Reading aloud to a pet can give children confidence in their reading. I remember talking German to my pet cat when studying for my GCSE’s. He did a great job of listening!
Aids bonding among siblings – It has been suggested that siblings who take care of a pet together get along and form a strong bond. This will result in less falling out and bickering – music to any parents ears I am sure!
Also for children who do not have siblings owning a pet can help them learn about relationships, emotions and teach them about socialising.
Things to think about
Will you be on holiday during the six week break? – Summer is the time of year most families go away on their holidays. Here at Not Just Pets we offer a pet boarding service! So why not book in your pet for a holiday as well? They will be kept in a safe environment, fed and watered everyday (our Bath store is open 7 days a week), given exercise, will be played with and given a health check to ensure they are happy and healthy. If your pet requires any additional care, just give the store a call and we will be happy to sort anything out and book your pets in.
Commitment and responsibility remains with the parents – When buying a pet for your children we always remind parents that the commitment and responsibility will always rest on their shoulders. No matter how much they begged, researched, pleaded for their pet, even the most responsible child can lose interest. When buying a pet make sure it is one that all the family will enjoy and love to take care of.
Make sure the pet is suitable for your lifestyle – Do you have the time, money, space and ability to take care of the pet? Pets need to be kept in a suitable environment and usually the bigger the better is required for their well being. We would suggest looking into pet insurance to protect the investment of having a pet as vets bills can be costly and sometimes unexpected.
Not Just Pets has knowledgeable, experienced and well trained staff that will be able to help you choose the right pet for you and your family. We welcome people to come in and visit the animals we have in store and see which animal they think would suit them. Give the staff all the information you have about your family, lifestyle, budget and needs and they will be happy to pair you up with a new pet. The staff are happy to answer any question you have about the animals and will arrange a set-up to ensure you have everything you need before you leave for home.
Here at Not Just Pets want to make sure you have the best animal to take home. The first step of this is making sure we have healthy, happy animals here in store to choose from. We get our animals from reputable breeders that we know keep their animals in a safe and happy environment. As well as this we also take in rescue animals that are in need of a new home. We will always be able to tell you where an animal originates from and their story.
We look forward to welcoming you in store soon; remember we are open in our Bath store 7 days a week!
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