Who doesn’t love pets? Having a pet at home is, more often than not, a good idea. Their natural charm brings warmth and joy to the household. For some people, they even consider their pets as part of the family. We can go on listing the benefits of having pets at home, but one thing that most people do not know about is that pets also have a huge influence on children with special needs. Yes, you read it right. Owning a pet can be helpful to children who have special needs. Below are some reasons why:
- Children with ADHD have difficulties in developing routine due to their short attention span. They easily get distracted and are often unable to finish a task because they face great difficult in focusing on one activity at a time. For children with ADHD, owning a pet can help them develop a sense of consistency and discipline. Taking care of a pet requires them to create a fixed schedule on when to feed, bathe and play with them. Implementing a daily routine can create better habits, such as the ability to make a plan and stick to it, which is something that children with ADHD struggle greatly with. A daily routine involving a pet provides a satisfying alternative to merely creating a strict personal time regimen, and it also gives you a partner to face the day with (Kledzik, 2018).
2. Children who has learning difficulties often feel isolated because they are often unable to find people who can relate to their struggles, as such, they find it difficult to make friends and socialize. Having a pet could ease their loneliness. Pets, especially dogs, are often described as man’s best friend. They are innocent and non-judgmental creatures who can lend you a listening ear, comfort you and relieve your stress. Dogs are a wonderful source of support and can also help to increase an individual’s ability to cope with struggles in their lives (Kledzik, 2018).
Bibliography
Kledzik, K. (2018). The Dog People. Retrieved from rover.com: https://www.rover.com/blog/dogs-help-people-add-adhd/