Helping Your Children To Deal With The Death Of A Pet
Pets are often one of the most important parts of a family. Your children will love the animals that live with you, and it’s likely that you will hold a special fondness for them in your heart. This can make it extremely difficult when your pets pass away, leaving a void and often taking the chance to say goodbye away from you. Of course, though, your children will struggle with this a lot more than you, and this post is here to help you to support them through this process.
Be Emotional
Many parents make the mistake of assuming that they should be stoic when their pets die, hoping that this will show their children that they can move on. In many cases, though, this can upset a child even more, as it will make it look like you don’t care. Being emotional is a good way to teach your children that it is alright to feel things for the animals they have, and it can also give you the chance to talk to your little ones about the way that they feel.
Hold A Ceremony
While it’s unlikely that you will pay for a full-blown funeral for your pet, you can still hold a ceremony to keep their memory alive. Wooden pet urns can be kept at home or buried somewhere, giving you the chance to have a cremation for the animal you love. This can help your children to seek closure when their furry friend dies, enabling them to take the steps that they need to move on. Of course, an event like this can be very sombre, but this is worth it to make sure that your children are in the right place.
Honour Their Memory
Honouring a pet’s memory is always a good way to remember them. Many people have a lot of photos of the animals they have at home, and this can be a great place to start. Hanging pictures on your walls will enable you to keep thinking about your pets, while also helping your children to feel like they are still part of their lives. This idea can feel sad at first, but many people grow to love having pictures of their animals around.
Their Legacy
The legacy of a pet can be a hard thing to pin down. Many people feel that they don’t want to get another pet after they’ve had one pass away, but doing this can be a good way to honour them by giving another animal the same love that they once had. You’re not replacing them when you do this; you’re carrying on their legacy and ensuring that your child is able to enjoy the benefits of animal companionship into the future.
With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of helping your child to get through the rough time that can come after a pet passes away. While this event is sad, it doesn’t have to be something that leaves your family in a bad place.
