Animal Love

Those of you reading this, many of us grew up with a pet or animals during our childhood, and you will feel exactly what we’re talking about in this blog! Just thinking about our furry friends brings a smile to our faces no mater what we’re going through. Animals are non-judgemental, bundles of joy, always giving unconditional love. They are an amazing medium to teach your child to be kind, compassionate, and empathetic. According to research, children who tend to interact regularly with animals, reflect high self esteem, confidence, are less lonely and have beter social skills too.

“I know I can’t speak,
but this is all true.
I cry, and hurt, and play and love.
I have feelings just like you!
Guess who?…”

When we spend time with house pets, we develop a unique cross-species bond, which stems from the frequently shared playfulness or sudden spurges of oxytocin. For most people, pets are their number one. There are multiple reasons for people to be pro-pet-parenting. Research also shows that people who are pet parents tend to be happier and healthier. We definitely can establish a ‘paw-sitive’ correlation between pet parents and their furry friends.

Animals in general, without having the power of words as their medium of language, can teach us multiple things, such as kindness, empathy, and self-love. Pets can play an inspirational role in our lives. A pet can become your child’s best buddy, emotional support system, friend, companion, and giver of unconditional love. The human-animal relationship will directly have an impact on strengthening your child’s morals too. The bond will further nurture the path for your child to grow into a compassionate, caring human being.

Animal Empathy

Empathy is both, a cognitive and emotional skill. Empathy is a thinking response to how others feel. A child who expresses empathy, shows self-awareness, manages their emotions, and delays gratification is ofen viewed to have a beter emotional development.

“Mom that dog looks hungry. Could I feed him some chapati from the kitchen?”

“I feel bad for Jane not being able to speak in class. Her face turns red. Does that mean she’s scared and embarrassed?”

We ofen observe our kids showing empathy in the most surprising ways. These statements symbolize the child tuning in and stepping into the other person’s shoes to understand their emotions.

Research shows amazing benefits for children who form bonds with animals:

• These kids score higher on social competence and empathy.
• Children understand how to care and be responsible by starting to consider their furry friend as a family member.
• As animals act as agents for nurturing kindness in children., these kids tend to become providers of affection and emotional support.

A Trunk Full Of Kindness: Build Empathy

• Teaching your kids to “speak dog” or the animal language they choose allows them to learn how to communicate effectively and show them the way to be kind. A relaxed dog face, open mouth, hanging tongue and wagging tail means “so nice to meet you!” Animals teach us how to communicate through body language. Decoding this through their tone can make kids beter communicators in life.
• When kids learn to care about animals, they also think about protecting them, as well as the planet we all live on. Zoos are the best place to start. Share information and stories with your kids about endangered animals, saving them, and guide them to understand ways in which we can individually take care of the planet. This will get them thinking about the state of the world and generate the source for feelings of animal empathy in the child, as the value of life is more impactul.
• Begin animal empathy at home. Talk to your kids about the joy you get out of feeding hungry birds or stray dogs. Communicate with them and teach them importance of taking care of the basic needs of anyone (humans or animals). The feeling of unconditional joy is completely internal, parents and grandparents can act as mediums for kids to experience the feeling.
• Simple instances like: “Oh Look! There’s a caterpillar on the carpet. Let’s put it outside on a leaf, back to where it belongs”, can generate multiple emotional associations in a child and form the basis or foundation for building empathy. Make the child realize, it’s not the size of the body but the living creature that counts. The feeling of compassion created by this act will be limitless.
• Encourage the habit to volunteer at a very young age. Be a part of animal welfare foundations and show your child what they mean to the world and how every bit counts in making a difference.
• Watch animal-themed movies filled with love with your child. Make them aware of what animals mean to humans in their own way, and how special they are, and how we should learn and be like them – selfless, loving and kind.

The balance of the entire ecosystem allows the Earth to function. Every species on planet Earth is a contributor to this world.

“Animal lovers are a special breed of humans, generous of spirit, full of empathy, perhaps a litle prone to sentimentality, and with hearts as big as a cloudless sky”
– John Grogan