Having Pets in Your Homeschool
Whether they come to us by chance or through deliberate adoption, having pets in your homeschool can have a profound impact on your family and dramatically enhance your students’ home education.
Beyond teaching responsibility, having pets in our homeschooling environment transformed how our children learned. Pets foster engagement with Creation and teach life skills that go beyond traditional curricula. Our children have learned invaluable lessons through these interactions, whether it’s caring for a sick hedgehog or watching the life cycle of a praying mantis.
The Emotional Support of Pets in Homeschooling
Pets have an uncanny ability to calm nerves and foster a sense of security, helping children navigate those challenging moments of academic life. Throughout our homeschooling experience, pets served as emotional anchors for our children.
One time, our son was having a tough time focusing on his math lesson, so he put our dog, Flo, on his shoulders, and he instantly calmed down and could complete his work.
The Educational Value of Including Animals in Your Homeschool
Our home has been a welcoming space for various creatures, including anoles, praying mantises, turtles, hampsters, goldfish, dogs, a hedgehog, and even a snake. Each of these guests has provided us with unique educational opportunities, offering insights into ecosystems and biological processes and fostering the awe and wonder of God’s glorious Creation.
Lifecycles
We watched our children eagerly catch moths to feed their pet praying mantises. One memorable year, the praying mantises laid eggs in a makeshift terrarium, leading to an exciting springtime emergence of hundreds of baby mantises.
Caregiving
Our caregiving skills were tested when Chester, our adorable hedgehog, became seriously ill on our son’s 13th birthday. He loved Chester, so we learned to administer subcutaneous hydration to save his life. This experience taught us a unique set of caregiving skills and highlighted the special bond between pets and their owners.
Outdoor Animal Encounters
Some of our most cherished memories have involved outdoor encounters with God’s creatures.
I recall one instance when a hummingbird found itself trapped in our garage. Rescuing it and watching it revive with sugar water was nothing short of miraculous.
There was Oops, the squirrel, who fell out of a tree. We nursed it back to health by feeding it milk through an eyedropper. Oops was a wonderful distraction from the stress we experienced through a difficult season of unemployment.
We also regularly marveled at the intricate webs spun by garden spiders on our front porch.
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about integrating pets into your homeschool, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so. Embrace the joys and challenges these companions bring, and explore how they can enrich your children’s educational journey. They are more than just animals; they provide an awe and wonder of God’s Creation, learning opportunities, and emotional support.