Giving your child a pet for the holidays might seem like a good idea, but it could cause you more trouble than you expected. Trying to introduce your pet to your home and family is already a big task and doing that during the holidays will just be even more stressful than it needs to be. Your kids might not be ready for the responsibility that comes with having a new pet, particularly if they think of their pet as a toy and not a living creature.

The holidays are too overwhelming and they’ll be overwhelming for your new pet, too

Between relatives coming into town, special meals to cook, and presents to wrap, the holidays are a stressful time. Bringing a new pet into the mix will just make it that much more overwhelming for you, and your pet will certainly not be immune to the stress either.

Dog expert Cesar Milan says you should slowly introduce your new pet to the house and family – something that could be difficult to do during the holidays with so many other things going on.

“The idea is that you slowly introduce your new dog to her new place, one room at a time, and you should begin with the room where she will find her food and water, making her wait until you have gone through the door and invited her in,” Milan says in his book.

Holiday decorations can be harmful or dangerous to a curious puppy or kitten

One of the joys of the holidays is having a nicely decorated house, but those decorations could be hazardous for a pet curious in a new home.

Holiday plants can be quite dangerous, according to American Humane: lilies can be deadly to cats, poinsettias can upset animals’ digestive systems, mistletoe is toxic, and holly can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Even pine needles can be toxic if your pet eats them.

Pets are living animals and not toys

Pets shouldn’t be thought of in the same way as a new toy, according to veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker.

“It’s important to impress upon a child the difference between her belongings and her pet, from the very first minute a new dog or cat enters her life,” Dr. Becker wrote.

“Even if your youngster is pleading for a pet and you think he or she is old enough to take on the responsibility, I recommend you keep the ‘pet project’ separate from the holiday festivities.”

You have to carefully supervise your kids and pets at all times

You can’t leave your children alone with a new pet until your children have been taught the proper amount of respect they should have for animals and your pet has gotten used to your children, according to the Animal Humane Society.

“Animals must be treated gently and handled with care. Young children must never be left alone or unsupervised, with any animal, even for a moment. Although children can participate in light-care activities like grooming and playtime, a parent must be fully prepared to be the primary caretaker,” the organization warns.

It’s much harder to constantly supervise your children and any new pets during the holidays when there are relatives in town and lots of things to do.

Your kids may not be ready for the responsibility

Adopting a pet is a big responsibility and your children might not be ready for it. The ASPCA advises you should be prepared to take full responsibility of the pet if your kids are under 12 years old.

And according to PETA’s website: “Dogs need outdoor exercise every single day, and a huge time investment is required to train (and house-train) a puppy – children are not mature enough to handle this responsibility.”