I didn’t leave the original comment, but I would say it certainly makes some parts of parenting easier. We just adopted a dog, and it has helped in strange ways. Expected ways such as my kid is much better about picking up his toys, putting away his laundry, and not leaving his shoes random places, but also it gives him something else to interact with that isn’t a glowing rectangle, or asking me a million questions.
What about phrasing it so the effort isn’t on you, but them?
“I’ve never really felt comfortable around [describe group]”. This way, the failure isn’t yours to get comfortable, but on them to mwake you comfortable.