It’s going to happen at some point. When you get a pet, you have to prepare for the time when it will no longer be with you. Especially if you have a family with children. You don’t want them to be blindsided without guidance, nor do you want to be unprepared for how you handle things with the pet. Here, we’re going to look at how to be compassionate and offer the family the opportunity they need to grieve when saying goodbye.
The moment of farewell
If you’re looking at the possibility of your pet passing in the near future, then you might be thinking about how to handle that moment when they pass away. Having a pet put to sleep by the vet is a process that can be painful, and no one call tell you whether or not you should present at the actual moment that it happens, but it is a moment you should think about and have your mind made up about how you’re going to handle it.
What to do with them
At the end of the pet’s life, you will have to consider what is to be done with their remains. For younger children, especially with younger pets, you might want to have them put to rest discreetly. For older children or pets that have a stronger bond with the family, giving them a farewell with options like pet cremation services can give your family more of an opportunity to process the grief and loss of the moment. You want to make sure that you don’t trample over the feelings of your family by not giving your pet a proper farewell.
Talking to your children about it
Some of your children might not be old enough to properly process the concept of death, while older children might get the concept, but have trouble grappling with their feelings about it. What you say to your child when a pet dies will depend on their age, maturity, and how they are handling the situation. However, it is important to talk to them, to ensure that they understand what has happened and to give them the opportunity to express their grief.
Making a memorial
If your family is feeling the loss of a beloved pet, it can help to consider getting or making a memorial for them. It can be as simple as a little dedication in the garden for them, a picture gallery somewhere in the home to commemorate them, or even a piece of memorial art you have made of them. This way, you can help your family transition from the negative feelings of loss and grief towards a healthier acceptance of that loss and the warmth of good memories shared with that pet. Of course, a memorial doesn’t replace the importance of actually talking out these feelings.
Saying goodbye to a pet is never easy, emotionally, if you have formed a bond with them. Hopefully, the tips above take some of the confusion away from what can be an emotionally fraught situation.
