Parenting: Grooming Children with Pet Culture -By Edwin Alivionote

Edwin Alivionote

Petty, pety (“little, small”), is a term formerly used to describe something tender particularly children and animals. A pet or companion animal is an animal kept primarily for a person’s company, protection, and/or entertainment rather than as a working animal, sport animal, livestock, or laboratory animal. Popular pets are often noted for their attractive appearances, and their loyal or playful personalities.

Children from infants to early juvenile are very fund of pets and mimic the treats they get from adults on their pets. Starting the pet-culture for kids, usually, non-life pets are encouraged. The non-life pets popularly known as dolls are easy and convenient for the kids to handle and nurture, with easy responsibilities placed on them without complex emotions and biological demands.

The pet-culture make children care and fend for these still-life objects with the emotions and passion that make them living. This care is what they will build upon in adulthood, when the real responsibility of caring for younger ones begins to come to them. If parents are keen about making their baby child grow with care and responsibility then, the child can be groomed with pets, having proper guidance given, to correct the flaws and inadequacies noticed as the child and pet relate.

Dolls are known in all cultures and are one of the oldest and most widespread forms of toys. A doll in its most basic form is a cone-shaped figure which can be made of clay, wood, stone, cloth or different natural materials. Especially for the girl child, different dolls cannot be judged without reference to wider economic and social conditions. Dolls are created for play and recreation, but their purpose is also to prepare girls for their later roles as mothers and housewives.

Pet for boys are likewise relevant since, it teaches the boy to care and nurture too. The boy will grow to become responsible and learn to fend for people around him who are his responsibility. The early introduction of pets into kids’ life begins their socialization clock, and builds their confidence and self esteem. They relate first with the dolls, who though cannot communicate back but, give them the chance to first perfect monologue before building the conventional dialogue for the life world.

A doll is not simply an impersonal play object. It becomes the child’s natural and trustworthy guide in daily life. Children become attached to their dolls and share with them their deepest wishes, sorrows, and joys. A doll is given a name and an identity of its own. Dolls often cannot, therefore, simply be thrown out when the age of play has passed.

Hence, as the child relate with the doll/pet, the parents can infer some attitude that could be approved and some too that need correction. The child feels more relaxed relating the real feelings through the pet interaction than with the real people around him/her. The parents should pay serious attention to the bond and friendship the child has with the pets. This pet-child relationship will open up a lot of information for the parents to use as guardians in child support for proper development.

The use of pet in Africa has been common and confused with children play toys. This is aptly misguided belief maybe occasioned by misrepresentation of the original intention and purpose of getting pets for kids. The real reason is far more than the cost of getting beautiful pets for kids. You get them the pets they love no matter the cost so they can bond with them and learn more about future relationships and responsibilities.