How can I prepare my child for the death of a pet?
The death of a pet is never easy, regardless of the age or life experience of the owner, but it seems that children often take the death of a pet much harder than parents because they do not have the advantage of perspective. Older owners can predict the death of a pet before the pet arrives home, but the child can expect a beloved pet to live forever. Preparing your child for the death of a pet requires careful mixing of reality, imagination, truth and imagination. There may also be videos that discuss animals at the child's level. It is important that parents discuss all aspects of the proposed pet, from feeding to maintenance to life. Small children must understand that a live pet can easily become ill or die if the owners cannot feed it or take it for an animal doctor. This timely understanding of a pet by limiting a pet can motivate the child to provide better care.
After the pet has been introduced to the family for some time, children can be very emotionally attached. PET can become an emotional confidant of the child and provides a non -judgmental role separate from parents or siblings. This is what makes the death of a pet for many children. The death of a pet for some children does not differ since the death of the human relative. It is important that parents and older siblings spend enough good time with the child so that he does not invest in a pet too emotionally. It should not design a complete emotional ward, but the child must feel that he or she can also find empathy with his human family.
The most difficult time to discuss the death of a pet with a child when he actually dies. Children can feel that something is wrong with a pet, but they are still looking for interaction. Some animals have a natural instinct to hide their real health conditions, tThe baby can be confused by a seemingly healthy pet behavior.
It's a good time to explain the immediate death of a pet. Spending time remembering all the positive experiences your family had with a pet, and remind your child that the pet lived a long and happy life. At this point, it can be okay to use euphemisms such as "go to sleep" or "play in heaven in Pet Heaven". Smaller children do not have to hear every detail about the death of a pet, just enough to understand the need to let go.
One of the important steps for a child mourning over the death of a pet is closure. If possible, let the child plan and supply a funeral service for a pet. Take this ceremony seriously and reward your child with treatment or special trip.
The child may also want to take care of some of the maintenance work, such as cleaning a cage or storage of pets for pets. On the other hand, it can be too much for a childtraumatic, so you may want to take care of these work when the baby is gone. Avoid temptation to recover the death of a pet with an immediate purchase of a new one. Children may initially want a quick repair, but they also need time to recover emotionally before accepting another pet.