We recently had our son move home with his one year old daughter. Now I raised 5 kids with animals so I do have some experience with such things so I was ready to have to save my Gracie from a child with no experience with animals.
The fact is I can't keep Gracie away from the baby. The baby has her own play area that Gracie enters with me. Gracie insists on sitting right next to the baby all the time. She will bring a toy in the area with her and the baby has learned to take the toy and wave it in front of Gracie in order to get her to come after the toy. That is a game that Gracie loves and Emma knows it. She will laugh and laugh at Gracie when she tugs at the toy but Gracie is always gentle. Gracie gets into her crazy spells rolling around on her blanket and Emma thinks that is wonderful. Gracie is always kind and gentle with Emma and Emma just loves Gracie. You would think they were play mates. Gracie has always loved kids and played with my other grandchildren that are a few years older.
I would never leave Gracie alone with Emma but we never leave Emma alone anyway unless she is in her bedroom sleeping. The only small issue we have had is Emma doesn't quite know how to pet all that long hair without getting her fingers caught in it. I think proper supervision is really important where any animal and a young child are concerned. If kids are taught kindness at a young age they will learn to be gentle as they get older.
If a person doesn't have the time to spend watching out for child and pet at all times I would not recommend putting them together at all. |