healthykids
pal with paws.
In one of Jalongo’s studies, chil-
dren were asked to read in front of a
Why Pets Help Kids
peer, an adult and a dog. Researchers
monitored their stress levels and found
that kids were most relaxed around the
animal, not the humans.
“If you’re struggling to read and
someone says, ‘Time to pick up your
book and work,’ that’s not a very attrac-
tive offer,” Jalongo says. “Curling up
with a dog or cat, on the other hand, is
a lot more appealing.”
Pets Provide Comfort
In another Jalongo-led study, children
were asked what advice they would
give less-popular kids for making
friends. The top answer didn’t focus
on a cool toy or must-have sneakers. It
was: Get a pet. Whether a hamster or
by Bill Strickland
a horse, Jalongo notes, an animal gives
Children love their pets—and for good reason.
a child something to talk about and a
shared interest with other kids.
Creatures both large and small teach, delight and
Animals are also a great source
offer a special kind of companionship.
of comfort. Melson asked a group of
5-year-old pet owners what they did
Like most parents, we counted when they felt sad, angry or afraid or
E
veryone knows that kids love
animals. They permeate childhood
on the commonsense idea that having when they had a secret to share. More
media. In real life, an estimated 4
animals around would help teach our than 40 percent spontaneously men-
in 10 children begin life in a family with
daughter responsibility and maybe, tioned turning to their pets. She remarks
domestic animals, and as many as 90
empathy. But, we’ve also learned that that, “Kids who get support from their
percent of all kids live with a pet at some
the presence of animals helps foster her animal companions were rated by their
point during their childhood, says Gail F.
emotional, cognitive, social and physi- parents as less anxious and withdrawn.”
Melson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of de-
cal development.
velopmental studies at Purdue University
Plenty of solid evidence backs up
Pets Encourage Nurturing
and the author of Why the Wild Things
such observations. Following are fi ve
Melson began studying the impact
Are: Animals in the Lives of Children.
reasons to let the fur fl y in your home.
of pets in order to learn how human
The amount of money we spend
beings develop the ability to care for
on pets has nearly doubled in the past
Pets Aid Learning
others. “Nurturing isn’t a quality that
decade, rising to more than $38 billion, We often fi nd our daughter curled up
suddenly appears in adulthood when
according to the American Pet Products in her bed or lying in a den of blankets
we need it,” she observes. “You don’t
Manufacturers Association. That fi gure in a quiet nook of the house, reading
learn to nurture, because you were nur-
dwarfs the toy business ($23 billion) to one or more of her cats. She pets
tured as a child. People need a way to
and candy industry ($24 billion). them as she reads, stops to show them
practice being caregivers when they’re
Because my wife and I grew up pictures and asks them questions. She
young.”
companioned by animals, we are even reassures them during scary parts
In most of the modern world,
delighted with our daughter’s natural of the story.
there’s little opportunity for kids to
zeal and passion for critters. Our cur- Educators like Mary Renck Jalongo,
provide for other living things aside
rent menagerie includes one German Ph.D., education professor at Indiana
from pets. “In many other countries,
shepherd, one Yorkipoo, three cats, University of Pennsylvania and author
siblings look after one another, but in
three goats, a freshwater aquarium and of The World of Children and Their
the United States that’s not culturally
a tank of Sea-Monkeys, a hybrid species Companion Animals, have long known
acceptable,” Melson says. “It’s actu-
of brine shrimp. Living in the woods, that bringing therapy animals (mostly
ally illegal in many states to leave kids
we’re paid an endless series of cameo dogs) into schools helps developmen-
in the care of anyone who is under 16
appearances by turtles, mice, moles, tally challenged kids learn. Now they
years of age.”
frogs, toads, tadpoles, ducks, geese, are fi nding that all children can benefi t
So, how are the seeds of good par-
slugs and other wildlife. from the presence of a nonjudgmental
enting skills planted during childhood?
18 Oakland, Macomb, Livingston & St. Clair, MI
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