Do you remember your first furry friend as a child? Maybe it was a hamster, or a kitten, or a cute little puppy. Now, do you remember when something happened to that pet? I will never forget my little Chihuahua I had during middle school. Although she was not my first pet, she was the first one that I had saved up to purchase, gotten as a baby, and raised myself…
Well, with the help of my mom, of course.
But, one day, while running around outside like she always did, she was hit by a car. I will never forget the overwhelming sadness I felt when I came home that day looking for her and my mom told me what had happened.
There is something about the bond between a child and a pet – it is something they can help raise and call their own. Something they can love and cuddle with, play with, and sleep with. But, because that love runs deep, when something happens to the pet, it can leave a child quite heartbroken. Honestly, it can even leave an adult quite devastated.
While you might not be able to stop the inevitable passing of a pet, you can help your child work through the loss of their best, little furry friend.
Share your pain with them.
As a parent, it might be your first response to act tough. We get it. You don’t want your child to see you upset, even though you are hurting just as much as they are because you fear it might upset them even more.
Naturally, we want to appear to our children as these strong beings who don’t cry, but oftentimes, it is actually more beneficial to show emotion to help your child through the loss of a pet.
It helps ease a child’s sadness when they know they are not alone. They can see obvious signs that you understand, so you are inadvertently letting them know that you can go through this new journey together. Sometimes, leading by example means being weak rather than being strong. Sometimes your child needs to see that you are vulnerable and experience emotions, too.
Get a keepsake of your friend.
A great way to honor and cherish the memories of your pet is to buy some keepsakes for your child.
For example, these people share their Petsies products they purchased that allow them to feel like they have a part of their pet back. The stuffed animal can go on trips with them and be there to help fill the void of their lost pet.
There are several other keepsake options as well, such as turning their old tags into a necklace. The idea is to give your child something they can remember their pet by. It is much easier to cope with a loss when you can make certain that pet will never be forgotten – thanks to something like a keepsake.
Reminisce on stories of the good times.
When your child is feeling down, it can help bring up their spirits to remember some of the good times they shared with their furry friend. Share stories with your child and ask if they have anything special to share with you.
Sometimes, looking back on how happy their pet made them can help lighten the mood and bring on some good spirits as they laugh about previous instances that brought them joy.
In Summary
The loss of a pet is not something we can avoid. However, we can take steps to ease the pain, especially for our children.
Avoid putting it off and trying to avoid the sadness and rather than running to buy a new pet and erase the memory of your old one; embrace the scenario and look for positive ways to remember, honor, and cherish your furry friend for years to come.
