House Rules

By Shannon M. Pecora, MA

Stream Valley Veterinary Hospital

            School is back in session, and many kids will spend their afternoons in after-school playdates.  Such afternoon arrangements can help busy parents keep their kids occupied and entertained.  These might even be study groups where kids get support and encouragement with homework.  Hopefully, your children and their friends are savvy and dependable enough to limit television, use the internet wisely, and not drink every can of soda in the house, especially if you aren’t home from work yet while they have visitors.  But have you thought of setting up ground rules for interactions with your family pets as well?

            Different families have different pets, and many have different rules and routines when it comes to pet care.  Make it clear to your children what is acceptable and what is not when they have friends over, whether your family has dogs, cats, birds, lizards, hamsters, or whatever.  Your kids should be aware that these rules are for the health and safety of your pet, and that breaking the rules may very well be dangerous.  For example, to prevent illness, you might prohibit feeding your pets when you are not home, particularly table scraps or other “people food.”  Rough play may be out of the question, such as wrestling with the puppy or chasing the cat throughout the house.  Also, is it okay with you if your pets are on the couch, in the kitchen, or in the yard when you aren’t there?  Additionally, a great rule, for any type of pet, is that kids must thoroughly wash their hands after handling or petting.

            It may help to have a written list posted on the fridge or in some other conspicuous area.  Maybe you’d like to let your kids help designate the rules, too.  And it’s also a good idea to let other parents know what’s expected at your house, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page.  No matter what, stay clear and firm in your rules so that your pets can enjoy these visitors just as much as your kids do!

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