As pet owners, we have certain expectations that surround the development and actions that our pets take in the household.  As parents, we also have expectations of what our child is going to accomplish throughout their life.  Although there are vast differences between pets and children, there are also many similarities.  These similarities can range from the personalities of the individual pets and children to the type of things that they may be regularly doing in our lives.  There’s no doubt, we love both our children and our pets so let’s take a look at how kids are like pets and how both of them affect us in a very personal way.

The first way that kids are like pets is because of the things that they try to get away with.  A child will push your limits on a constant basis in order to see exactly how far they can take those limits.  As a matter of fact, you will no doubt find yourself being put to the test on a regular basis in order to see if they can actually get away with something.  Do you recognize this behavior in your pets as well?  Of course you do.  A pet will also push the envelope, so to speak, in order to see how far they can take things before they receive some kind of disciplinary action.

Another way that children in our lives are like the pets in our lives is because of the love they give back to us.  This is especially the case whenever they are younger but even as children approach their teenage years and enter into this difficult time of life, they also give love back to us, even if they have a difficult time expressing it.  A dog will give you unconditional love and will come running to greet you at the door with a wagging tail as soon as you enter the house.  A child may not run to you every time you enter into the room but it’s not difficult for you to recognize the fact that a child needs you and is more comfortable whenever you’re around, even if they are not outwardly expressive of this.

Both our pets and our children are our responsibility to care for, to keep warm and well fed, to discipline when necessary and to show unconditional love throughout their lifetime.