How Taking Care of a Pet Instills Responsibility in a Child

At the dog park yesterday, I watched a young boy look after his puppy. He seemed concerned that the other dogs were not too rough with her. He watched when she had to do her business and went to pick it up as all responsible dog owners do.
I was so impressed with this young man that I had to talk to him. He said his name is Ryan and that he begged his parents for a puppy. For his 12th birthday he was allowed to go to his local shelter and choose one—with the condition that the puppy would be walked, fed, and not ignored. He had given them his word. He named his puppy Nora.

Nora found her forever home.
To help pay for Nora’s food, he took a part-time job taking out his neighbor’s trash. He also helps his dad in the yard so that he can earn some money to buy Nora a few toys. His parents assist with the pet insurance and the vet bills.
Another condition of owning Nora is keeping up his grades. He gets up early to walk Nora before school starts. After school he goes home to walk her before he plays with his friends.
As I listened to him, I could see how taking care of a little puppy made this boy feel and how his parents had instilled a sense of responsibility in him. I could see that by giving him the responsibility of caring for this puppy, this young man had grown in personality and character. Not only did he take on the responsibility of another living being—he also showed his parents that he was true to his promise and that he wanted to work hard to achieve certain goals like getting the money for Nora’s food.
I could see how this will help him in the future. He will grow up to be a mature, sensitive, compassionate, and well-balanced human being who will contribute to our society in a caring and interactive way. Be it dogs, a cat, a bunny, or any other pet, children learn to contribute in a positive way to the lives of other living beings.
DiDi LeMay is the author of A Winter Solstice Celebration and Freddy’s French Fries Fiasco. A Winter Solstice Celebration is a good book for parents to share with their children. The book’s focus is on the importance of caring for animals and the environment they live in. DiDi’s book is available at Amazon or you can click here.