A Little Birdie Teaches Children About Animal Safety
by Blog Contributor | January 18, 2024 | Children’s Books | 0 Comments
Children can be naïve about the direct impact and consequences of their behaviors. But they shouldn’t be cleared of the responsibility of learning about animal safety.
Animals can be fun companions – most of them are even termed as human’s best friends. But while they can provide a wonderful and fun experience, they’re still different from people. They function and think differently. Their behaviors can be unpredictable based on how they’re treated. Hence, while it’s important to shower them with kindness, being wary about them is also beneficial.
Animal safety goes both ways. It isn’t merely about ensuring that animals are treated well and fairly, but also to guarantee that whoever interacts with them remains safe.
Regarding discussions about animal safety, adults aren’t the cause for worry. They know better than to play around with dangerous animals. Instead, the distress falls on the children. They may act without ill intentions, but this doesn’t unburden them of the consequences of their behaviors. Especially since they’re interacting with non-humans, those functioning differently with different boundaries.
A Story Of Compassion And Animal Safety
Children may be the most compassionate to animals. But this isn’t enough assurance they’ll be safe from any risks and dangers that can come out from these creatures.
As young as 11 months, babies are already drawn to animals, even those that may seem frightening to adults. Perhaps their childlike innocence makes the living more fascinating than the toys they’re provided with. But children are drawn to animals even before they can utter their names. And this makes them more susceptible to these risks.
Children may find it challenging to stay safe around animals because they’re free to act on their interests and have no clear boundaries to their behaviors. For them, animal safety is nonexistent.
However, it’s essential to help children create safe boundaries for themselves. It shouldn’t always be about practicing compassion for others but also for themselves. This lesson can be read in Bing, a storybook for preschool kids by Sarah Gourd. This book follows the story of an injured baby duck who gets tended and kept by a young boy. While it narrates the boy’s kindest gestures, it also highlights the boundaries that must be maintained between children and animals.
There’s a special bond between animals and children. And this bond must be protected by teaching the latter about animal safety. This way, they can maintain an authentic and happy relationship without compromising their safety.
How Children Can Stay Safe About Animals
Compassion isn’t enough to warrant safety from animals. So long as their boundaries are violated, these creatures can attack. They don’t consider the age or gender of whoever’s before them. This is why children can be the most at risk of these attacks. While they’re taught to be kind to animals, this doesn’t mean they can be as comfortable as they want with them.
Animal safety differs between indoor and outdoor animals. They have different comfort zones, which also influence the treatment they accept.
When children step outside, the world is filled with incredible animals. Whether it’s the smaller and cuter ones or the more intimidating animals, the great outdoors is a home to these. Children may easily find these creatures adorable, especially when they appear foreign. However, the rule for these animals is simple: don’t touch or go near them. Children must be taught to avoid these, regardless of how cute or timid they look.
Whether the animal is domesticated is crucial to animal safety. Cats or dogs outside may look like regular pets. But they aren’t used to having people close to them or treating them, even with kindness. This can prompt them to attack if children go near them.
When it comes to indoor animals, the more docile of the two, animal safety should still be considered. Simply because they’re accustomed to people doesn’t mean they won’t attack when triggered. So, children must still be taught how to handle these animals, especially when playing with them. Not to mention the proper means of picking them up that children should learn.
Children may not be afraid of animals, but they shouldn’t be allowed to interact with them carelessly.
