Guiding Children through the Death of a Pet – Megan Larson
2. Importance of Choice
Allow children choice around their level of involvement with the dying process or death of a pet. Choice allows for empowered decisions. This is another area to use discernment based on their emotional maturity. Follow their lead based on what you know about them and how they react.
3. Use of Ritual, Prayer & Intention
Celebrate the life of the pet through creative activities such as art, music, or movement. Use the opportunity to honor the moments as a family that you shared with the pet. Allow children to create altars, scrap books of pictures, songs, wishes or prayers for the pet that is in alignment with your family’s beliefs and traditions. A ritual can be any connected moment where there is intention and presence.
4. Connecting to the Heart
Although the physical body of the pet is no longer there, remind children to remember that the pet lives on in their hearts. Remind the child that they continue to live inside of us despite the animal not being in the home in the same way.
If the child can make sense of their experience surrounding a loss, the process will be an integrated one. Integration requires balanced perceptions around change. Most importantly remember that grief is normal and natural, give your children and yourself time to integrate the change.
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