Children and Pet Loss
Every child is different. And the death of a pet is usually the first time children deal with someone they love, leaving them forever. There are some concrete ways to handle the death of a pet with your child. First, be sure that you talk straight about death. Say death and dying, terms that are real. If you say their pet is in the clouds, child may be picturing something you did not want to convey. If you indicate that they have been put to sleep, they may think that when they go to sleep, this can happen to them, too.
If you are concerned about how much they can emotionally handle, ask them. If it is time to euthanasia your dog, cat or other pet, ask your child if he wants to be present. Explain the process in a straight forward way. Seeing that your pet is actually dead often helps give children a sense of closure.
Grief comes and goes in stages, for children and adults.
When your pet dies you and your child may have strong feelings about it's death. Initially you both may experience a feeling of shock, which includes numbness, like your pet's death didn't really happen. This first stage is called: Denial. Denial is a normal part of the grieving process.
Your child may say, he's not dead just at the doctor's office. Calming and supportively explain that your pet has passed. Be firm and loving. As you and your child grieves, you may also feel very intense feelings of anger. Anger is the second stage and you may become angry with anyone involved in the loss of your pet, as well as those around you, at school, work or home. This stage, you will of course recognize. The third stage is: Guilt. Guilt may spark feeling of self doubt. Doubt about the care you were able to give your pet, the time you spent with him or times you didn't have the time to give him the attention he craved. You and your child may feel deeply sad and depressed for along time. If you are reading this then you are a supportive parent and know that an end of these feelings will come too.
In time you and your child will get to the final stage, which is acceptance. Consider a new dog or cat, maybe one that doesn't resemble the lost pet. Start a new loving adventure!
Pets To Rest offers so many different urns to
choose from. If you want to create a lasting memorial
to your pet, Pets To Rest can help you find an urn that's
right for you. Give them a call today at 800-757-3488
or send an email to pets@petstorest.com for more information.
|
