When parents decide to have a pet at home, it is a decision that they usually make for the happiness of their children. For majority of these kids, pets are not just there to play with them. They are creatures that bring joy to them, teach them the value of responsibility, relieve their stress, and as a whole make good friends. Considering this, it is safe to assume that during the entire stay of a pet in any household, most of the hours are spent with children. Thus, with the passing away of the pet, children are bound to go through pet loss grief. As a parent, you are probably dealing with the challenge of helping your kids cope up from the loss. This is because you, yourself, are finding it hard to cope up. But since you are the adult, you have to take it upon yourself to give your kids some extra help.
In this pursuit, it is imperative for parents to keep in mind that patience is important. Children are likely to bring up the topic again and again so you need to have enough patience. Other than this, you should allow your children to work through their grief. Let them express their grief openly and let them see you express your grief as well. Always make sure that when you talk about what happened, you do it with all honesty. Also similar to what Christian counseling experts would tell you, talk about death and grief in terms children understand. Avoid telling them that God took the pet or the pet has just gone to sleep. These can give them false fears - fear that God will take them or their loved ones and fear of sleeping. It is also recommended that your children be involved in all the activities following the death of the pet. Let them take part in the burial service. Listen to their ideas in case they would have something to contribute to the memorial service. If ever a child says he doesn't want to join, don't force him to.
Also, you should not forget that part of helping your kid cope up with the loss is to teach him that death is permanent. Further, don't commit the mistake of immediately getting another pet to replace the lost one. This can make a child feel disloyal and give him the wrong impression that grief can be overcome simply by buying a replacement for what was lost. Even while pet loss grief cannot be considered as serious as substance abuse counseling, it has to be done with caution too. Exerting effort in learning the best practices to help your kids cope up can go a long way in your kids' recovery. Practice patience and remember to hug and reassure your kids always.
