I’ll let you in on one of my secrets on how to make children happy. It consists of four words: pets.

Now, I don’t know what pets have that turns children into adoring fans. By just looking cute, even dirty and ugly animals possess charms that can tame even the naughtiest kid in the neighborhood.

As a parent, you will find that your choice of pet for your children depends on your budget. How long you want to keep them may also be contingent on the deepness your pocket. The little ones, though, don’t care what species of animals they get to keep as pets. Whether you give them a cuddly poodle or a kid-swallowing anaconda, children will love it just the same.

If money is a concern, choose less exotic animals that are constantly on diet, as against high-priced, jungle animals, say, a cheetah, that are always hungry.

The rule of thumb is, avoid keeping carnivorous animals as pets. They eat lots of meat (which can be expensive over the long haul). They also oftentimes heed their jungle instincts, which is to regard little children as meal.

Don’t harbor the stupid, romanticized thought that treating tigers or lions as part of the family will inspire them to regard your family in return with love and affection. Tigers and lions don’t know about love and affection. What they know is that when they are hungry, people smell like food. That’s the reason they treat people as food, not as a family. So stay away from them. They are not only expensive to keep but also dangerous.

Your kids will be better off keeping fowl, birds and rabbits in the house. These animals are not only safe to become tenants of your house, but they also eat so little that their upkeep will assuredly not bust your wallet. And yet the enjoyment your children will derive from them will be the same enjoyment they will derive from wild animals.

As a magician who entertains children with livestock magic, I think I have the expertise to recommend the best animals to keep as pets. When I say “best”, I refer to animals that are both cost effective and safe to keep.

Doves, the symbol of peace. I keep five doves in the house. They are not the pigeon variety that you see released on wedding ceremonies. Rather they are Turtle Doves. Difficult to find, they cost more than ordinary doves. You only hear about them during Christmas when the carolers sing ” 12 Days of Christmas ” at your front gate.

Buy a pair, and I assure you, your children will fall in love with them on sight. Your children will swoon over them night and day, as turtle doves have the unerring ability to put kids in a state of ecstasy just by cooing and flapping their wings.

Rabbit, the icon of magic.  I have a rabbit, too, named Roger. He goes to sleep in one second flat when I hypnotize him. He doesn’t eat carrots (oh, he hates them) contrary to what the books on rabbits claim that they do. Once, in my attempt to convince him to eat carrots, I showed him a book with a picture of a rabbit eating a carrot. “See,” I told him, “rabbits eat carrots. It’s nutritious; it’s delicious, so go ahead eat some!”

I left the book inside his cage to give him ample time to muse over the words of wisdom I shared with him. As soon as I turned my back, he ate the pages of the book—every single one of them, including the covers, except for the page that had a drawing of the carrots on them. Didn’t I tell you my rabbit hates carrots?

Just the same, rabbits are excellent pets to give your children. All manner of children love rabbits. The mere sight of a rabbit will move or excite children greatly.

Duck, lovable in its awkwardness. I also have a duck named Ugly, as in Ugly Duckling. Her special talent is to walk and quack like a duck.

Little kids also like ducks a lot. I don’t know why, but they do. I’ve had little children coming to me after the show and begging me to give them the duck I used in the performance. (These kids are smart. They know I still have the duck although they saw me make it disappear on stage.) Of course, I always say no, because I use my duck in my other shows. Parents usually give me a baleful look every time I refuse to give away my duck, because then they have to haul a screaming, kicking child home.

I don’t keep my animals in the house as a hobby. They’re not also my pets. They are part of my family. They assist me in my shows, and therefore help me earn a living. I pamper them with love and attention. Those are good reasons that I don’t give them away.

The only thing I don’t do with them is to French kiss them. I’d look weird if I did that with my rabbit. Besides, my wife is the jealous type.

Stay magical,

Leodini

Make Your Child Happy on Her Birthday

www.leodini.com