Teach Your Kids to
Love Pets #6 – Pets Help Children Communicate
When our youngest child was 2 years old she hardly talked in
more than single syllables and even those were few and far between. She didn’t
have to talk, the older kids talked for her. (It was quite a switch from the
first child who spoke in full sentences at 9 months.) Our little girl was
blessed to have a Grandmother and an Aunt who were early childhood teachers.
They thought something was wrong and they wanted her to be tested. We thought
she would talk when she was ready. It was getting to be a family issue.
One day her father took her with him to visit a buddy who lived on a farm. The
farm family had a cat with a litter of kittens that needed new homes. Our
daughter immediately picked out one and wouldn’t leave without it. It was
completely black and she couldn’t wait to get home and show the rest of the
family her kitten. She told me the kitten’s name was Cinder Mittens! I was
stunned. She didn’t stop talking about that little kitty for about 12 hours –
in fact maybe she’s never stopped talking since then! Two is a little young for
having a pet but we told her why she had to be gentle, told her why we were
feeding the kitty special food and told her why we were making a special bed
with a clock under a pillow that ticked like a mother’s heart.
Our talking
about the kitty gave our daughter a desire to communicate with all of the
family. She absorbed the words like a sponge and couldn’t wait to tell anyone
and everyone how to care of the cat. Not many children will have such a
break through experience, but talking to their pets and talking about their
pets to other people does foster communication skills. It also gives children
someone to talk to that doesn’t laugh at them or criticize them if they use the
wrong word. Apparently pets will even laugh at their jokes! Cinder Mittens lived
with us for the next 18 years. That was a couple years longer than our daughter
did! Ever since she moved out she’s always had a cat or two. She has dogs too
and even a horse - and we talk about them all every time we chat. Fostering communication
and socialization are just two of the wonderful reasons we need to teach our
children to love pets!
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