22 | Spring 2022
Pets and Childhood Passions: WHY THEY MATTER AND WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME HALEY JENSEN
owner and founder of Kitty Unboxed and Puppy Steps Training
Ironically, I’ve never actually read one of my favorite books. It’s a very worn copy of The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds. I picked it up at a used bookstore one day as a reference but didn’t really fall in love with it until I opened and read what was written inside the front cover. The inscription, likely written by a 9-year-old, says, in huge, adorable letters: “Ashton’s Book. Best Book. I Love This Book.” Curious, I started to thumb through it. Sure enough, Ashton had been through the book, probably many times, leaving a grade rating on each of the breeds along with several comments, and a note to their mom.
reminds me of my childhood. I had similar copies of horse magazines and encyclopedias. I remember the days before screens, spending hours pouring through these books and feeding my grandma’s horses handfuls of weeds, telling them about my day and life philosophies. I loved animals. They were approachable and seemed to love my company, simply because I existed.
Fast forward 30 years, and now I have a 10-yearold son who loves fish. Although reading has been a bit of a challenge for him, he’s checked out every fish and aquarium book available at the library and knows them cover to cover. Not only do I love this book because of Ashton’s With the advantages of being raised in a screen perfect childhood charm, but also because it age, he has his favorite “tanking” YouTubers
and he will happily fill any empty moment with a conversation about fish when he finds a listening ear. He is discovering passion, which ignites discovery, takes the drudgery out of learning, and opens the door to simple joy. He’s gaining confidence from the realization that he’s knowledgeable about something. He’s shaping his identity by finding he has preferences, capabilities, and opinions. He’s developing drive and ambition and is learning to dream. Animals make an ideal gateway into passion for many children because kids naturally gravitate toward and connect with them, and it’s no wonder why. Pets have the natural ability to
