Attending to pets can help a family or children organize routines of their own. Nick's family cleans the gerbil tanks on Sunday evening. Jenny or her mother cleans the litter box every morning. In our home, I walk the dogs in the morning and at noon, my son John walks them after school, and my husband walks them at night. These walks are a relaxing beginning and end to the day and punctuation in between.
Pets are fun.
They bring us laughter, smiles, and the gift of wonder. For some, pets are a stimulus for exercise, especially if the pet is a dog that likes to romp outdoors. When we were kids, my sister and I dressed up our dogs and used them as characters in plays written and directed by us. Pets everywhere, from turtles to gerbils, have been known to serve as audiences for dramatic productions, not to mention early ventures into dance and music. My sister wrote short stories about her dog, Blackie.