When kids learn to treat animals with gentleness and respect, they also
learn about compassion and caring on a larger scale, which are traits that can
later be applied to the relationships that they have with fellow humans. For
parents of toddlers and young children, imparting these lessons can be a bit of
a challenge; here are 10 ways to help your little one understand the importance
of treating animals well.
•
Set a Good Example – Children learn primarily
through mimicry. They watch their parents and other authority figures, and then
model their own behavior after their observances; one of the best ways to
instill a love of animals is to have that same love yourself and to exhibit it
often.
•
Research Local Programs – Your local
Humane Society chapter or other animal activism organization is likely to have
a program or two specifically directed at helping small children understand the
proper treatment of animals. A cursory glance at a local message board or
search engine results could net dozens of options.
•
Take Advantage of Story Time – Most kids
love a bedtime story, and there are tons of books on the market written with
this very subject in mind. A colorfully illustrated, well-written book about
animals and the humans that love them can do wonders for explaining the concept
of animal kindness to kids.
•
Teach Proper Handling of Small Animals – Helping a
child to properly hold and handle a small or newborn animal while emphasizing
the importance of being gentle is a great way to teach a hands-on lesson about
carefully handling animals and never being too rough.
•
Visit a Petting Zoo – Spending an afternoon at the
petting zoo can be a fun and informative experience for kids of all ages, but
especially for little ones who wouldn’t ordinarily have the opportunity to
interact with such an interesting array of animals or have access to
professionals that are trained to help kids learn about them.
•
Share Interesting Facts – Learning
that baby goats are also called “kids” or that butterflies taste with their
feet not only entertain children, but also help them to see that animals have
their own unique, interesting qualities.
•
Help at a Shelter – Taking a trip to your local
animal shelter to help walk the dogs, feed the cats or do other fun and
interactive chores not only makes a difference in your community, but also in
your child. It might be best to stick to a privately run no-kill shelter or to
be sure that no animals are scheduled to be euthanized during your visit,
however, to avoid a traumatic experience.
•
Study Local Wildlife – A trip to a local nature
preserve or national park not only provides kids with a day of no-television
fun, but can also help them understand the very important concept that wild
animals are not pets, but should be treated with the same respect.
•
Watch Kid-Friendly Television Programming – While you
might want to skip the program chronicling the antelopes’ encounter with a
hungry lion, there are plenty of kid-centric animal documentary shows that can
provide strong talking points and valuable information.
•
Get a Pet – After you’re certain that your child understands
the basic treatment of animals, introducing a pet into your home is a great way
to keep their education going. Even if you live in a small space or urban
environment that isn’t conducive to traditional pets, a small hamster or a
goldfish can still help give your child a sense of responsibility.
Most small children need to be reminded to be gentle more than anything
else, as deliberate cruelty is quite rare in children so young. Kids that show
signs of harmful behavior might be struggling with a larger issue. If this is
the case the child’s pediatrician should be consulted.
Source: Live in Nanny
Please share
No comments:
Post a Comment