Hey Mom and Dad: Is a Pet an Appropriate Holiday Gift for a Child?

Parents, Patch wants to hear from you on the questions that get families talking.

Welcome to Hey, Mom and Dad—a weekly feature in which we ask our Facebook fans to share their views on parenting. Every week, we get the conversation started by taking a look back at a question we asked parents the week before on Patch Facebook pages from around the area. It's a rite of passage for nearly every child: Begging your parents for that first cat, dog or guinea pig as a holiday present. The debate on our local Facebook pages took many different turns this week, and we want to hear from you, too. Leave your opinion in the comments below and check out what some of our Facebook friends had to say: Betty J. Kids at any age can have a pet as long as there is an adult or parent in the house with primary responsibility for the pet. …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)