Losing a pet can be difficult for the entire family and that is especially the case if you have children. Children can feel the loss of a beloved pet even more strongly than adults and this can leave you, as the parent, feeling helpless. There are some things that you can do to help a child get through the mourning period and accept the death in a healthy manner. Here are some tips that providers of pet cremations in St. Louis, MO recommend you keep in mind.
You need to let them know that you are there for them and that they can come to you for help whenever they need to. Lots of parents think that their child already knows this but that is not always the case. Children can worry about bothering the adults or making them sad if they share what they are feeling so they may keep that to themselves. By letting your child know that they can always turn to you to speak about their pet and how they feel, you will already be helping a great deal.
Allow your child to express themselves as they need to after a pet’s death. Children can go through many phases of grief, just like adults, and that can confuse parents and leave them feeling like they do not know what to do. Allow your child to feel whatever they feel. You may see more tantrums than usual, and this is normal. As long as they are not hurting themselves or other people, let them work through the loss.
You also want to consider that a child can lose their appetite and have changes in sleeping habits when dealing with grief. If you see that they are not wanting to eat regular meals, offer them snacks throughout the day so that they are not hungry. If you see that they are having nightmares or trouble sleeping, you also want to encourage them to rest through the day.
If you see that your child is having a very difficult time after the loss of their pet and they are not getting any better, you might want to consider reaching out to a professional counselor. There are lots of them that work exclusively with children who are grieving and this can be vital to remember. They can offer your child the kind of help they need.
When a pet dies and your child is mourning it, it can be crucial to know how to help them. Letting them express themselves can be the most important thing you do. Be sure to let them ask questions and to let them speak of death. They will need to do that to be able to come to terms with the loss. If you want to know more about how a child processes a loss, or if you want to know what options are available for the pet, you can turn to a St. Louis, MO pet cremation services provider like us. Give us a call right now to speak with one of our experts.
