Pets are family, and their loss is significant. For children, the loss of a pet is often their first experience with death. Whether you’re having a pet memorial service or a simple cremation, you can help your child process their emotions. Explaining death to a child may be challenging, but it’s necessary to help them understand and heal. Here are three tips to help them cope. 

3 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About Death

1. Be Direct

When you talk to your child, stick to the facts, and avoid the temptation to sugarcoat the news. Explain what happened in as direct a manner as possible. Although you should leave out any upsetting details, don’t let them think their pet is coming back. Speak gently, and show them you’re sad, too.

2. Listen & Comfort

Once you’ve communicated news of the death, give your child time to process the information and react. They may cry. They may run away and hide.

Grief can be expressed in many ways, and your child’s reaction may surprise you. Answer questions, cry with them, and share their grief. 

3. Commemorate

Hold a pet memorial service, and have your child help plan the ceremony. They can help choose flowers and select pictures. Participating in planning a service will help your child cope with their feelings productively. It will also give them closure.

If you’ve recently lost a pet and are looking to honor their memory, Char Mac Pet Cremation in Cincinnati, OH, will help. They offer a wide range of pet memorial services to assist you in saying goodbye. In addition to cremation and memorial services, they also provide burials, urns, headstones, and other keepsakes. Visit them online to learn more about their products and services, or call them today at (513) 851-5791 to speak with a member of their staff.