The problem with getting your kids a dog to teach them responsibility is not just that you end up having to live with this dog. The point is, if you want to teach your kids derful life lessons, there is another really way and it doesn't involve expensive trips to the vet or picking up dog poop. They should keep a garden. These are key life lessons in his wonderful book, outdoor kids in an inside world,. stephen nella has a fantastic chapter on how families can learn from gardening together.