Children need to be connected with unconditional love. As a matter of fact, pets give unconditional love in the same way. They cannot be judgmental. Pets have many effects on children's development, including emotional, social, cognitive and language development. Many studies support this. So, how effective is it? We know; The language of children is play and toys. Toys are very important in children's lives. We can establish a bond with the child through play and toys. Many toys are the biggest factor in a child's development. For example, we use animal figures and plushies to show and teach children new experiences. Thanks to these toys, we can get a lot of information about the child, and they provide us with an opportunity to get to know them. Children can share their secrets and express their anger without refraining from expressing their feelings. It gives priority to these in pets and is a beneficial factor. Or we can provide storytelling through animals. Imitating animals, jumping, skipping and moving like them while imitating is effective in the development of children's body coordination and also plays an important role in their muscle development. He concretizes the new experiences he needs to learn with stories. Children also respond to this (Power, 1999). They experience the pleasure of experiencing and gaining experience. Likewise, accompanying ducks while taking a bath, talking about their favorite animals while teaching them toilet habits, and including the animals in their stories in their lives will have many positive effects on children. Later, children facilitate these concretely by bonding with pets in their own lives. Nature is a message for children. It is a good experience for them to gain new experiences, so establishing ties with nature and living creatures in nature will guide them on the path of individualization (Melson & Fine., 2015). We discover how strong the bonds it establishes and how it instills a sense of loyalty. How?
When children bond with pets, ten They can gain the ability to learn by teaching something to others themselves, and begin to externalize them by showing them the emotions they experience within themselves. He can overcome his fears by experiencing it. They learn to love, protect and be independent in their relationships with people.
Research also supports this and shows that children's ability to live and interact with pets increases their empathy and compassion. (Ates and Gürsoy 2005).
It is also very beneficial for some children who suppress their emotions, find it difficult to express themselves, isolate themselves, avoid socializing, and develop sibling rivalry. These children can easily express their emotions when they bond with animals. They feel good because they enjoy spending time with them. And they openly express their emotions and can socialize. Likewise, helping children bond with animals when they are faced with anger-aggressive behavior is one of the effective ways to reduce this behavior and create empathy and love. My advice to families on this matter: You can give your child opportunities and support them in communicating with animals. If you have ideas about keeping a pet at home, of course you can bookmark your experience. You can discover the positive impact it has on your child. A pet can be your child's best friend because it will comfort your child without judgment or consequences. It creates a safe space for your child to verbally express his fears and anger. It can also give you the opportunity to get to know your children better.
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