Summary: I didn't grow up with pets. When I was a teenager, I was gifted a little kitten and she stayed with me for many years. Now that I have kids, we have had gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, an ant farm, a dog, cats, briefly, a turtle and lots and lots of fish. Pets are great. They help to boost a kid's confidence by giving him more responsibility, they help kids who have trouble communicating, and they're just fun to have around. Studies have shown that pets may help to lessen asthma symptoms and that they are great for autism spectrum kids. So, for not having grown up with animals, I have really climbed over to the other side. I'm hoping to have chickens one day soon, and I would love goats (my absolute favorite animal) though I don't think that one is going to happen at any point in the near future. I'm also on the search for a new cute kitten. Some pets are way easier to take care of than others. Even with all of the benefits to having pets in your home, you may not want a very demanding or exhausting pet, especially if your child has a special need. Anecdotally, my son with ADHD became a different person after we got a dog. They are seriously best friends and it's really sweet to see. Listen to the podcast to find out what I have found to be the best 5 low maintenance pets for your kids.
