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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

what do your dc think of your pets ?

11 replies

robinredbreast · 29/12/2007 21:14

do they like them?
do you think pets are good for children

our dd is 6months and loves our cat, when she sees him she beams

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ChasingSquirrels · 29/12/2007 21:16

23mo loves the dog and strokes her and tries to play with her. 5yo not that bothered externally, but wept buckets when we took her to kennels when we went away .
Unfortunatly she has recently developed mammary lumps, and probably won't live for more than another 6 months. Not looking forward to kids reactions.

Maidamess · 29/12/2007 21:17

My dd is 12 and resents our rabbit as she is the one who has to clean and feed it. But I don't think thats the type of answer you were looking for!

speak2deb · 29/12/2007 21:17

I looks as though 'cat' is going to be my 8 1/2 month old's first word. She's consistently said: 'cah!' every time she sees one of my two moggies for a week now.
Unfortunately for her, the feelings of love and adoration aren't reciprocated. They stay as far away from her grabbing hands as possible.

ChasingSquirrels · 29/12/2007 21:19

oh meant to say that, dog keeps as far away from them both as possible and just tolerates them.

coby · 29/12/2007 21:20

Have DDs 3.5 and 19 months plus another on way and one cat, large fish tank and 2 x guinea pigs.

DDs love the cat, DD2 more so but she is a PITA tbh, gets in DD2s cot despite all my efforts and likes to leave presents around the house so I end up spending a lot of time cleaning up after her.

The love watching the fish, when DDs were poorly, I sat them on a bean bag each (freshly cleaned afte the cat had pee'd on them again) in front of the fish tank and they watched it for ages.

Guinea pigs are absoultely fantastic, they are hand tame already even though only 12 weeks old and the girls fight over feeding them hay and carrots each morning.

I think certain pets are good for children but depends on the child, the pet and if you accept the pet will always be your responsibility - not theirs.

coby · 29/12/2007 21:22

cat is PITA not DD2 (though she has her moments )

MorocconOil · 29/12/2007 21:34

My DC 8,6 and 2 completely adore our 2 kittens who are 6 months. It brings out a caring instinct, although the 2 year old is a bit rough. The kittens often sleep in the DC's beds.

We had a very old cat and dog when the 2 older DC were born and the DC were devastated when they died of old age. DS1 would love another dog but I can't imagine having the time to look after it properly.

I think pets are very positive for children.

ChirpyGirl · 29/12/2007 21:37

We have numerous lovebirds and both DD's love them. DD1 used to sit in her chair and watch them for hours and DD2 is shaping up to be the same.
Some of them are veyr tame and they like to sit on DD1's head and groom her while she giggles hysterically.
However, I do like the fact that they are locked away and they can't touch each other unless we are in the room (cages are behind a barrier) so they can all be left in the same room to entertain the dd's with no worry.

jo25 · 29/12/2007 21:49

Our ds 5.2 adores both our cat and our dog. We got our cat when ds was 18 months as he was and still obsessed with cats, the cat was from a rescue place so adult when we got him. Our dog is 14 weeks and have lived with us for 7 weeks is adored by us all. especially ds, the dog has been turned into "bat dog" today and has loved playing with batman. DS introduces both animals to visistors as his brothers! I think pets are great for kids and would definately have more as he grows, unless he wants mice, i am petrified of the little bas*ds!

Acinonyx · 29/12/2007 22:21

Dd adored the cats as a baby but now at 2.5 she is quite competitive with them and accuses them of going after her toys

Jojay · 29/12/2007 22:37

DS is 13 months, and our cat 'Harry' is definitely his favourite person in the world.

'Harry' ( or 'awwi') was his first word, followed my Mummy and Daddy - nice to know the pecking order!!

He's learnt not to grab at him now after Harry scratched him one day (he was severely provoked) but I can't say that Harry loves DS quite as much as DS loves him!!!!

I think it's great to have pets with kids, and I'm really pleased that our childminder has a dog, so he sees them regularly too.

I also have a very unscientific theory that growing up with pets can help prevent allergies.

It's completely unfounded, but DH was always allergic to cats until Harry's predecesor (sp?) moved in with us. Dh sneezed and sniffed for a few months and then seemed to get over it.

I grew up with dogs and never had a problem, but now we don't have one. Now when I visit my Dad, who has a lab, I sneeze and sniff like mad, so I think it's possible to build up a tolerance to them, in some cases.

Just my pet theory (geddit?!) but it was a factor in us choosing to get another cat when I was pregnant

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