Help ! Bubble, the goldfish favorite of our youngest has (again) passed the weapon to the left … What should we say to him to console him? How will he take the news? Researchers from Canisius College in Buffalo (United States) have studied these delicate questions …
The scientists worked with a dozen American children, aged 6 to 13. First observation: for a child, a pet is not just a simple bug. “Children feel like their pets’ exclusive object of affection,” explain the researchers, who worked under the direction of Dr. Joshua J. Russell. They see him as a friend, a very close person, almost a member of their family. “
Euthanasia? Children understand
Suffice to say that the death of Bubulle is indeed likely to wreak havoc … “However, children have a fairly sharp sense of justice, qualify the researchers. They know how to differentiate a just death (related to age, illness …) and an unjust death (because of a car, an accident …). They will accept the latter much less well. Better: they are able to correctly estimate the life expectancy of an animal. “For a child, it is normal for a hamster or a goldfish to die early. On the other hand, they will have more difficulty understanding the anticipated death of a cat or a dog. “
Concerning the thorny question ofeuthanasia, here again, children surprise us: “when the animal is very weak or very sick, most children understand the value of this medical act. It seems moral to them. “
Should the deceased animal be replaced immediately with a new companion? Researchers are divided: “on the one hand, some children will feel betrayed: they need to mourn their friend before making a new commitment. On the other hand, some children (usually younger) will need to transfer their affection to a new animal right away. ” The best solution ? Discuss it calmly, as a family …
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