Convince Your Parents to Let You Get a Pet
With Patience, Maturity, and Good Research, Success can be Yours
Oct 28, 2009
Pets are a big commitment, but if you think you are ready for one, it's time to prove it to your parents. Follow these steps and a pet can be yours.
Float the Idea
Think about why you want a pet. If you want it just to be cool or to get more attention from friends, then you should not have a pet. You should get one because you genuinely love animals. Then, tell your parents that you are interested in getting a pet. Show an interest in animals, such as when you see your neighbor's dog, or visit the zoo or pet store.
Don't sound demanding. Drop hints for a while, until you are sure that your parents know that you want the pet. This process will take a lot of time, so you must be patient. Parents like to see that you are being patient and taking the time to do your research and save up your money. Don't continually nag them. Then they'll become annoyed and less likely to let you have a pet.
Research the Pet's Care
Start to do research about the kind of pet you want, and make sure your parents see that you are doing it. Ask them to take you to the library and look up information on the internet. Continue dropping hints in the form of interesting facts about the pet. Print out or photocopy your information and keep it in a folder.
Become an expert on the care of this type of animal. Know about the different breeds or species and determine which one is right for your family. Know how to feed and clean the pet, give it exercise, and take care of it when it's sick. Know how much of a time commitment it is. Where will it be kept? Who will take care of it on vacations? If you think of all these details, your parents will be more impressed.
If you don't have the time to take care of this type of pet, then you must be honest with yourself: you can't get that type of pet. If something would prevent you from getting a certain type of pet (ie: a family member is allergic to cats), then you have to accept that you cannot get it.
Make a list of all the items needed to care for the pet and see what the total cost is. See what the yearly, monthly, and weekly cost is. See how much the pet itself costs, or whether you can save money by adopting one.
Think of ways that you can contribute money towards caring for the pet. Do you have a job that will help pay for its food and toys? Do you have gift money or savings that can be used to buy an expensive item? Start saving up now or get a job, if necessary.
Propose to Parents
Now it is time to discuss the idea with your parents. Sit them down after dinner and show them your research. Teach them everything you have learned and tell them why you want this pet.
Be prepared for questions. If you don't know the answer, write it down and tell them you will get back to them on that. Your parents might ask you questions that aren't easily answered. File these away for further thought. Don't become angry or whiny if they say something negative. Accept everything calmly.
Your parents are probably not going to give you an immediate answer. This is neither a good nor bad sign, so don't think about it too much. Just press onwards.
Address Concerns or Do Further Research
If your parents asked you questions that you didn't know the answer to, look them up or think of counterarguments. Make sure to address every single concern they brought up. Talk to them whenever you can about any more questions they might have had. Be persuasive but patient. If you sound demanding or whiny, all is lost.
Have Patience
Now that you've done all you can, it's time to wait. Be responsible, do your chores, and try not to anger or irritate them during this time. Show that you are responsible. Continue to learn all you can about the type of animal you chose and show continued interest.
Announce Victory or Accept Defeat
If your parents haven't made a final decision after a two weeks or so, you may gently ask them if they've made any progress on their decision, but be very careful not to bother them too much.
Eventually, your parents will give you the final verdict. Tt is important to accept this decision as final. Any whininess or begging on your part will undo all your hard work. Just ask them what you can do to convince them otherwise and follow through on it. After a year or so, they may change their mind. Continuing to show interest, even over the course of years, is very important.
If they said yes, congratulations! You can now work with them on getting all your supplies and the pet itself. Be sure to be very cooperative and stick to any bargains you might have made.
Bonus Points
If a friend of yours has the type of pet you want and is going on vacation, ask if you can petsit it. This is an excellent way to prove to your parents that you are ready to get a pet.
Many animal shelters have a foster program, where you can temporarily give a home to a cat or dog or another type of animal. If your parents don't want to commit to getting their own pet, this might be a good option to discuss with them.
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