Telling Young Children
As a parent, one of the most challenging things you will ever do is try to explain to a young child that his/her pet has or is going to die. Here are some helpful suggestions:
1. Offer age-appropriate honest explanations. Don’t try to distort or hide the truth to protect them from grief. It will make it worse, and they need to trust you right now.
2. Make sure they know it was not something that they did or or failed to do that caused the pet to die.
3. Help them understand that death is not the same as sleeping. It can trigger sleep problems and intense anxiety over surgery and anesthesia.
4. Don’t use the terms “Passed away”, “left us” or “gone on”. This can leave children feeling abondoned and rejected, waiting for the pet’s return and may even encourage them to go looking for their lost pet.
5. Explain “Old Age” and what happens when a pet gets old. That his body wears out and stops working.
6. With especially young children, avoid telling them that God wanted their pet in Heaven because it was so special. This could make the child angry with God and fear that he or you may be chosen next.
Let the children in your family be a part in making decisions about how you will intern your lost loved one, and in choosing a proper Pet Memorial to celebrate the life you spent together.