Review of a Pet Reminder for Kids
Critter Care reminder
We have tried this device and it really works. The kids who tested it, ages five to nine, have not missed a feeding and although cage cleaning was something that they needed help with it was a great reminder to do so.
It was not as easy to program as it could be, it is worth taking the time and reading the directions. Once you have it set up you will love it. It does have a preprogrammed schedule that you can use if you do not want to bother with customizing it.
Once you have it set it has cute cartoon characters to pick from we selected a guinea pig of course. The character comes on screen and speaks to the kids by saying that they are hungry and need a snack or that the cage is dirty. The appropriate button with a light stays lit when the skinny pig needs something then when they finish the task they just press the button and the reminder stops.
I think that this works wonderfully for children in the six to eleven age range who may just need the extra reminder until it becomes habit. The younger kids love that it gives their pet a voice and they enjoy feeling like they are doing a great job when it tells them how happy it is.
Over all I found this well worth the investment and a fun way for kids to tackle the responsibility of owning a pet.
(It should be noted that the care and well being of any animal in a house hold must be the responsibility of an adult. As wonderful as teaching a child how to care for another living thing it is still our job to check daily that the animals basic care is being met and to take over if the child is unwilling or unable to do it.)