How to teach children about their responsibility

By Alice Laing

There are many ways that parents can teach their children responsibility, such as chores and extra-curricular activities. But one of the most effective ways to teach children responsibility is to let them take care of their own pet.

No matter what kind of pet, giving children the responsibility of taking care of a pet teaches them how to be independent and self-reliant. Instead if depending on their parents to feed the pet, children realize that the pet will go hungry if they do net feed it. This is better than giving chores, like sweeping the floor, because if a dog is hungry, it will demand food. Having a pet makes children learn about these responsibilities.

Also, raising a pet teaches children how to keep a schedule and plan ahead. Pets need to be fed morning and night and sometimes their cages need to be cleaned once a week. The requirement for taking care of a pet automatically teach children how to arrange their schedule. For example, if the family is going on a trip, the child must plan ahead and find a neighbor or friend to feed the dog they are away. Pets help teach children how to manage time.

In addition, being responsible for a pet can also teach children how to take care of the world. Humans have a great responsibility to take care of all the world's creatures, not just pets. If a child has a pet, he can learn firsthand about this responsibility. Children become attached to their pets and when pets die, they come to understand the meaning of death. With this emotional connection to animals, children learn how to be more understanding when it comes to environmental issues that threaten animals and their habitats.

When a children learns how to take care of pet, he learns how to be responsible. Taking care of a pet teaches children independence and self-reliance, time management skills and how to care for the environment.