December 17, 2016

Quote of the Week

"Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much larger and better in every way." --John Muir

The Benefits Of Pets--5 Surprising Ways Pets Are Good For Kids, And Families, Too!

"Children love their pets -- and for good reason. Creatures large and small teach, delight, and offer a special kind of companionship. Everyone knows that kids love animals."
 
Writer and parent, Bill Strickland shares how pets have enhanced his children's lives and improved their family bonds. "When I was growing up, I always had at least one dog padding beside me on every adventure, and my wife was raised on a farm. So we planned all along to make animals a part of our child's life, and we are delighted by how enthusiastically our daughter, Natalie, has embraced pets. Her natural zeal and passion for critters of all kinds has led to our current menagerie of one German shepherd, three cats, a freshwater aquarium, a confoundingly long-lived tank of mail order Sea-Monkeys, and, because we live on 4 1/2 acres of Pennsylvania woods, an endless series of cameo appearances by turtles, mice, moles, frogs, toads, tadpoles, ducks, geese, and slugs -- to name just a few of the creatures that have come to visit.

All these beasts have been beneficial to Natalie's development, but we've been surprised by how wide-ranging those benefits have been. Like most parents, my wife and I counted on the commonsense idea that having pets around would help teach our daughter responsibility, and maybe empathy. But we've also learned that the presence of animals in our house helps foster her emotional, cognitive, social, and physical development. And I've discovered there's plenty of solid evidence to back that up.

"Here are five reasons to let the fur fly in your home."

Reading Corner

Title: Love that Dog
By: Sharon Creech
Ages: 8 - 12 years

Description: "With a fresh and deceptively simple style, acclaimed author Sharon Creech tells a story with enormous heart. Written as a series of free-verse poems from Jack's point of view, Love That Dog shows how one boy finds his own voice with the help of a teacher, a writer, a pencil, some yellow paper, and of course, a dog. With classic poetry included in the back matter, this provides the perfect resource for teachers and students alike." --Publishers

Be the Change

Consider adding a pet to the family. If you already have one, encourage your child to spend time with your pet, caring for its needs and, perhaps, reading it a story.