Pet Loss: Helping Your Child Say Goodbye

As a parent, your instinct is to shield your children from sadness for as long as possible.The loss of a household pet is often the first opportunity many children have to learn about death. When handled honestly and with compassion, you can help your child develop the skill necessary to grieve and cope with this inevitable part of life.Providing your child the chance to say goodbye to their best friend is a first step towards enabling them to cope with their grief. It may be heart-breaking to witness this painful farewell, but the act itself can facilitate the healing process and help your child develop a healthy understanding of life and death.While providing children the chance to say goodbye is encouraged, it should never be forced. If a child isn’t ready, it may be more appropriate to honor the loss in an indirect way. Preparing a memorial ceremony with flowers, candles and some of your pet’s personal effects can be a great way to help your child explore his or her feelings. This also applies in situations, such as an accident, where a formal goodbye isn’t possible. Children should be encouraged to share their feelings about the special relationship they had with their pet and should be asked what they will miss most about them.Ultimately, how you choose to address the loss of a pet with your kids is a personal choice. Allowing children to say goodbye in a loving, peaceful environment is often the most positive way for them to mourn. At Gentle Journey, our goal is to help your entire family through this difficult time by giving you the chance to say a peaceful goodbye in the privacy and comfort of your own home. To learn more, please give us a call at or visit us online to learn more.