HOMESCHOOL | animal keeping

Charlotte Mason was full of wisdom when it came to rearing, disciplining and educating children. One of her well known philosophies which helped shape my own children’s educations has been that they need three things:

• Something to do
• Something to think about
• Something to love

I can’t say that I’m an animal lover. I didn’t grow up in a home with animals besides a few short-lived goldfish. As an adult I’m still a bit skittish around strange dogs and large animals like horses and cows. But I knew I didn’t want my children to grow up afraid.

I believe that giving our children the opportunity to care for animals is a wonderful learning experience. First, it teaches responsibility. Feeding the cat, walking the dog and cleaning out the bunny hutch is not necessarily fun, but it is still necessary. There’s a sense of achievement when these tasks are completed.

Learning to care for and love another living thing teaches empathy. We’ve had many discussions about how it would feel if I forgot to give the kids food and water for a few days? Obviously, it would be terrible. Wouldn’t it be the same for our animals if we forgot to care for and provide for them?

Pets become our friends and sometimes our confidants. They comfort us and give us companionship. Having an animal we love can help fend off feelings of loneliness and sadness. I know our dog Frank is always around to lean on my leg and look lovingly into my eyes. He’s always up for a walk or physical touch. He is endlessly entertaining to our family and many of our morning conversations revolve around the dialogue we imagine he is having about us in his head.

We’ve had times in which we’ve lost a few pets- beloved chickens, kittens, and a hamster. Although the grieving process hurts and is different for each child, it also opens up conversations about feelings and loss- something we as parents can not always protect our children from as much as we would like to. Learning to deal with the loss of a pet is a valuable life lesson which will equip them as they grow older and experience significant disappointments and loss.

I never chose to have animals based on health benefits, but studies show that kids with animals in the home have fewer allergies, less anxiety, and lower blood pressure.

We got our dog Frank in 2010. He was a few months old and we were determined he would be an outside animal. Maggie had been asking for a dog for a few years and it was with the understanding that she would be the sole caretaker that we finally agreed to get Frank. Maggie was eight years old. I don’t know that eight is a magical age for getting a pet, but it worked for our family. She was old enough to understand that feeding, watering and cleaning up after Frank was her job. She was able to communicate when the dog food supply was running low and able to put him on a leash and walk him up and down our neighborhood street. She read books about dog training and made arrangements for his care if she was away from home.

From the beginning, I was very firm in my commitment to being hands off with animal care. Nine years later, I still have never fed, watered or picked up the yard after the animals. I may remind the kids from time to time that it’s been a while since Frank has had a bath or the chicken coop has been cleaned out. The kids understand that I am not responsible for the animals and that if they do not properly care for the pets, we will swiftly find a loving home for them. This strategy has worked well for our family and relieved me from an extra unnecessary burden of work of which my children are fully capable of taking ownership. And because they have proved over the years that they are responsible and kind to our animal family, I am more willing to consider expanding the menagerie when asked.

Because we have so many pets now, our chore charts includes the various responsibilities and these jobs rotate about once a quarter. Poop pick up happens three times a week, chicken coop clean out happens every weekend. Daily watering and feeding is spread out between all three kids unless a particular animal is owned by a child. For example, Poppy purchased Winston the goat with her own money and pays for his food and vet visits. She is basically his mama and would not consider passing off the chore to a sibling of caring for Winston.

Is my house a bit messier than it would be if we were without animals? yes
Has owning the animals been worth the mess? 100% yes

Our lives have enriched by owning pets. If you’re considering owning a pet, I suggest researching options and having an open dialogue about what caring for another living thing entails. Talk with your child about what you expect from them if you agree to adopt a pet. I’ve even had friends ask their children to research pet options and submit persuasive essays on pet ownership. ha! Allowing your child the opportunity to love and care for an animal is so special.