Right, mamared, and, okayem, both all good reasons.
Mamared, my hope putting this thread in family and not my usual posting threads in 'singles forum' is that kids are now out of school for summer and its a perfect time for a parent(s) to give their child(ren) a pet or a whole menagerie, IF the Lord leads.
My mom and dad gave me a pet when I was 12, I don't think I asked for this cute black and white furrable G-force mass of squeaking but I got him. Spook, I named this lovable, beautiful pet, however, as time went on age 13, 14: I was too into other things like soccer and movies and riding bikes and cleaning droppings regularly became semi regularly and, by age 15, I was not taking care of Spook well. Spook was gone one day, not even sure when, about age 15. I never really experienced his death because I don't remember Spook dying.
Anyway, I loved Spook, but I really needed CONSTANT discipline to feed, change water daily, and never really got that. I was semi-motivated on my own to take care the little fellar, but , as time went on, I was less and less into him.
For what it's worth, I don't blame mom and dad for getting me Spook but was just hard for a pre-teen and then teenage kid , me anyway, to do necessary things .
I had a dog too, family did, wienerschnitzel, a dachsund, BEST dog in world for kids but I was more into.other things than him. Yes, dogs can look dumb but be smart, kayem, and, mamared, rterrible how kids hurt animals, I like all you reasons listed, starting with disci0line. good menagerie, kayem
Had a cat too, from 10 to 19, Dit, my cat, that cat slept with me every night for all his life.