‘Who needs kids when we have pets?’ This is the latest most common statement couples and married people use to answer the question why don’t they have kids yet or are they planning on having one.

“Pets are becoming a replacement for children,” said Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University. “They’re less expensive. You can get one even if you’re not ready to live with someone or get married, and they can still provide companionship.”

According to statistics, three in ten couples chose to raise a dog rather than a kid. However, we can’t deny the fact that raising a pet is way easier and less expensive than raising a child. If you’re at a cross path in your life and wondering if you should raise a child, scroll down. Maybe these photos of couples with their pets they treat as children will make you change your mind and go to the stationary today.

• How Family Life Does Actually Looks Like
• Doodle diary of a New Mom
• Dogs and babies playing and sleeping together

Abandoned 10 years ago, the beautiful and creepy Nara Dreamland park in Japan is the perfect place for photographers because sometimes abandoned places like this are more attractive to capture than anything else.

Nara Dreamland was built in 1961 as Japan’s answer to Disneyland, which had opened in California the previous decade. Towards the end of its life the park struggled with low visitor numbers and was eventually forced to close. Now the sweets in the vending machines are no longer safe to eat and the heart-pounding rides are now as still as the fiberglass mascots which haunt the landscape.

This place is a popular destination for urban explorers. Additionally, many have reported hearing strange noises near the park’s boats. Some speculate that it may be caused by a running water pump or a type of bull frog. Would you pack your bags and check where the sound comes from? If you’re an adventurous traveler you would, but if you only want to check this creepy yet amazing park, just scroll down and enjoy!

• “The Monsters” in abandoned buildings in Berlin
• Abandoned casino in Romania
• The creepy beauty of abandoned houses

According to scientists, if you are a parent and you decide your baby to grow up with animal, especially dog, then your child has bigger chances to become better and more intelligent person than the other children in future.

Parents are usually skeptical to grow their child with an animal because of the hair and possible biting, but if you take good care of your dog, it won’t be any problem at all. You can brush the fur of the dog more often outside so it can play with your baby without you being scared will it swallows a hair or not.

Also if your dog is with you for years, there isn’t a possibility for particular biting because dogs are often more careful that people, and they know who to bite and who they shouldn’t.

So, if you’re a parent and you want to grow your child with a pet, don’t hesitate to buy one, or keep your old one close to your baby so they can grow and play together all the time. Down bellow we have made a collection of dogs and animals playing and sleeping together, so you can see how cute that looks! If these photos don’t convince you, nothing else will!

• 17 Unusual Pets That You Can Own
• This is why horses are best pets
• Animals before and after their childhood

Indonesia-based artist Elicia Edijanto creates dreamy black and white watercolor paintings of children and animals.

These wonderful images are very peaceful and tranquil. You can see a close relationship between children and the wild nature. Practically, all kids like the animals. They have toy animals, they like cartoons and books with the animals in them. You can find more work of Elicia Edijanto on Behance or Instagram.

• Incredible black and white mountain landscapes
• 20 amazing black and white photos of animals
• Beautiful animal portraits by Amy Hamilton

Photographer James Mollison traveled around the world to capture the amazing images of various playgrounds. Inspired by his memories from childhood, he created this wonderful project Playground.

Most of the photos were taken during the course of a single recess. You can notice the huge diversity among the playgrounds. Some of them are built on dirt, others are on the field. Most of them don’t involve gyms or swing sets. One thing they have in common, the children are happy and enjoy their time.

Also, you can find a book Playground, writen by James Mollison, and released by Aperture Foundation

• 15 amazing playgrounds
• 10 most dangerous roads to the school
• Students and their classrooms around the world

Fortunately (or unfortunately) for millions of children around the world a new school year has started. But in some countries, school education is an unaffordable luxury.

Many children are forced to travel to school by unbelievable and unimaginable ways to get an education, which many of us take for granted. We are impressed by the courage and determination of students who follow such a hard way to get knowledge.