Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
Having a dog helps a child learn how to act responsibly. As a dog owner, the child must take care of the
animal's daily needs. The dog must be fed and exercised every day. A dog is completely dependent on its
owner for all its needs, including the need for good health and a safe environment. Therefore, being
responsible for a dog also means taking care of the dog so that it stays healthy. Furthermore, the owner
must take responsibility for the safety of the dog and the safety of the people it comes into contact with.
If the child forgets any of these duties and responsibilities, or ignores any of the dog's needs, the dog
will suffer. This teaches the child that his responsibility to the dog is more important than his desire to
play with his toys, talk on the phone, or watch TV. This is true not only for the care of a dog, but also for
the care of oneself, another person, or one's job. Learning how to take responsibility for the health and
welfare of a dog leads to learning how to take responsibility for oneself.
Another lesson that a child can learn from having a dog is how to be empathetic. Empathy is the ability
to put oneself in another person's, or in this case another creature's, situation and imagine that person's
or creature's feelings or problems. A dog cannot express itself with speech, so its owner must learn how
to interpret its behaviour. The child must learn to understand what the dog's behaviour means. Is the
dog frightened, aggressive, or sick? The child needs to understand what is going on in the dog's mind.
Understanding a situation from the dog's perspective helps the child understand why the dog is
behaving in a certain way and what the dog needs. The result of learning to read a dog's behaviour is
that the child develops empathy. By learning how to empathize with a dog, the child also learns how to
empathize with other people. This leads to the child becoming a more considerate and caring person.
These are some of the most important lessons a child will ever learn. The benefits of owning a dog will
last the child's entire lifetime. The understanding and appreciation of responsibility, empathy, and
friendship that a child develops from the experience of having a dog will help him or her grow into a
reliable, caring, and mature adult.
a. What can a child learn from learning responsibility towards his dog?
b. What is empathy?
c. How can a child develop empathy?
d. What will help the child to grow into a reliable, caring and mature adult?
Answers
Answer:
a)
Kids who take care of dogs learn what it feels like to have a living creature rely on them, and that teaches responsibility in a way little else can. Caring for a dog creates a sense of empathy and a respect for life. It teaches commitment and consistency, and it builds self-confidence.
b)
It's the ability to understand another person's thoughts and feelings in a situation from their point of view, rather than your own. It differs from sympathy, where one is moved by the thoughts and feelings of another but maintains an emotional distance.
c)
Empathize with your child. For example, “Are you feeling scared of that dog? ...
Talk about others' feelings. ...
Suggest how children can show empathy. ...
Read stories about feelings. ...
Be a role model. ...
Use “I” messages. ...
Validate your child's difficult emotions. ...
Use pretend play.
d)
Make caring for others a priority. ...
Provide opportunities for children to practice caring and gratitude. ...
Expand your child's circle of concern. ...
Be a strong moral role model and mentor. ...
Guide children in managing destructive feelings.
a. Having a dog helps a child learn how to act responsibly. As a dog owner, the child must take care of the animal's daily needs. The dog must be fed and exercised every day. A dog is completely dependent on its owner for all its needs, including the need for good health and a safe environment. Therefore, being responsible for a dog also means taking care of the dog so that it stays healthy.
b. Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another person's, or in this case another creature's, situation and imagine that person's or creature's feelings or problems.
c. By learning how to empathize with a dog, the child also learns how to empathize with other people. This leads to the child becoming a more considerate and caring person.
d. The understanding and appreciation of responsibility, empathy, and friendship that a child develops from the experience of having a dog will help him or her grow into a reliable, caring, and mature adult.
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