It's that time of year, again, when children everywhere begin to make their lists for Santa Claus, the lists of toys and goodies they'd like to find under the tree, come Christmas morning. And parents everywhere are beginning to make shopping plans, as they try to figure out the best ways to help Santa with his chores.

There are as many different childrens' wish lists as there are children. And, of course, retailers and toymakers have myriad toys and games and dolls ready, along with all the necessary accessories, with which to tempt our children during the holiday season. And all of that marketing usually works-our kids all want to have the coolest new gadgets on the store shelves. And, of course, most parents want to do their best to please their kids on Christmas morning, and fulfill as many of those wishes as possible.

But there's one item that many children put on their lists that's a bit more difficult for parents, and Santa Claus, to properly provide. Christmas is a time when a lot of boys and girls wish for that first new pet, especially if the home has no pet. Some kids want puppies, some want kittens, but children everywhere seem to have a desire to bring that little living being, so seemingly full of love, into their lives and homes.

Parents are usually not quite so anxious to bring a new pet into the home, if they don't have one already. Mom and Dad know that a new pet, particularly a puppy or kitten, will mean a lot of work. And, Mom and Dad know, that work will most likely fall on their already-too-busy shoulders.

Parents understand that their kids often won't have the attention spans necessary to care for new pets, especially puppies, which demand attention, all of the time. Puppies, and kittens, too, can destroy lots of things around the home, if left to their own devices.

Puppies and kittens need not only attention, they need routines for feeding, exercise, sleeping, playing, and training. Unlike the latest dolls or toys, pets can't be tossed aside when boredom sets in. When new families grow tired of their new pets, those pets can grow into misbehaving adult dogs and cats, which can be annoying, at best, and dangerous, at worst.

Before parents consider bringing a new pet into the home, they need to decide honestly if their child or children are mature enough to take on the task of raising a living creature. Even if they decide a new pet is warranted, Christmas may not be the best time to introduce a puppy or kitten into the family. Many live little Christmas presents wind up discarded or in a shelter, by January 1.

Christmastime is busy enough, as it is. The best time to bring a new pet, requiring a lot of attention, into the home, is probably when there are no other holidays to compete with. That new puppy or kitten needs all the love it can get.