Is it wrong to teach a child that killing an animal is kinder than letting it live?

[Szick]

My partner disagrees with me here. DS was in the bath and a moth fell in the water, DS quickly helped it out and was blowing on it (it was still moving) to get it dry. I told him that it was kinder to kill it. DP thinks that was unnecessary and we should encourage him to keep being kind to animals in general... who is right?

It really depends on the age and maturity of your child. I would say usually I'd go with honesty but praise and encourage DS to be kind.

I think the way you delivered the message was the issue. Showing a disregard to animal life at an early age can lead to showing a disregard to human life when older. Psychologically speaking. I agree with your husband.

I agree with your husband although I think it depends on the age of the child.
Even though we know better as adults, I think to an extent we have to allow the children to believe that the animal will be ok if we help it.

He's 4. Fair enough, I just didn't see the issue in honesty

I think the kinder killing it message is one best saved for later on , depending on maturity level of the child. Both in terms of their feelings and the attitude to animals it is likely to foster.

In that case I would have let him try. It didn't need to be squished, I agree with your husband. He was trying to be kind and that's a good thing in kids.

I wish mine would, he thinks nothing of killing spiders when I prefer them to stay living. Between him and the cat I feel sorry for beasties that have the misfortune to show themselves.

Just saw that he was four. That is very young. Does he even understand what death and killing is yet?

Why would it not recover?

Perhaps next time you could say 'I'm going to take the moth away and see if it'll fly on its own' (something along those lines) and then kill it to be kind without your children knowing. If they question where the moth went, just say 'it flew away all healthy now!'

I know it's not always that simple but that's what I'd do! Don't worry OP, you won't have scarred him for life and a one off isn't a big deal!

I think 4 is old enough to understand that sometimes it's kinder to kill something if it's injured or suffering. We had to have the nursery Guinea pig put down and we told the children that she was very poorly and feeling very unwell and the vet couldn't give her anything to make her feel better so he gave her an injection that made her fall asleep and then die so that she wasn't hurting anymore.

The kids understood.

Headinhands- I agree with this but I think it's different when you're talking about bashing something to kill it as opposed to killing it peacefully with an injection at a vets

I think it's fair enough to tell a child the animal can't be made better so it's kinder to end its life at that point. It isn't showing disregard, quite the opposite.

I don't think this will help you but I still remove creatures from the bathwater/washing up etc. and put them on tissue or kitchen paper to dry off. If they dry and are able to move off then they have the right to live. I would put moths somewhere they could fly off outdoors though, spiders are usually still drying off when I get out of the bath but I will put them on a windowsill if they are still recovering.

Killing something just because it has an accident is not a good lesson, regardless of size.

How many of you would use antkiller though, or swat a fly? Is this okay, so long as you don't tell your children?

Toad that is exactly what I do. I'll only euthanise a creature that is obviously injured to the point that it will die anyway (and I hate doing it but I try and put them ahead of my own feelings!).

Why would you not give the moth a chance to recover ?
I'm always rescuing insects out of my small pond they usually dry off and go on their way

If it was still moving I would have put it on the outside windowsill and if it recovered sufficiently it would fly away. I wouldn't just squash it