Animal Loss: How To Help Children Overcome It

Animals are unique beings, which make nature fantastic and brighten our lives when they live with us, quickly becoming part of the family.

It is precisely children who are able to establish a greater connection with them, because they recognize them as their friends and as decisive figures in their development as people. This relationship of complicity is something immensely beautiful and healthy for the little ones of the house, since they represent their closest contact with the animal world.

Despite this, as much as we can or want to avoid it,  the loss of the animal will inevitably have to live,  and it will be a particularly complex situation, which will generate a lot of confusion in him,  since he will probably not be ready to accept it immediately.

As a parent you will need to understand that this is a situation that will lead your child to extricate himself in a complex labyrinth of emotions, from which he can only get out if he decides.

Unfortunately,  protecting children from the loss of your pet is impossible. However, there are effective ways to help them understand and overcome this delicate and painful moment. Here are a few.  

Don’t make them think their friend will come back

When this painful situation occurs, you will need to prepare to talk seriously with your child. The speech to be made will have to be different according to his age; in fact, if the child is less than 5 years old, he will not understand what happened and will overcome it faster, but if he is between 9 and 12 years old things will be a bit more complicated.

Whatever you think to tell him, the most important thing is to make him understand that his pet will never come back. The importance of emphasizing this aspect is that this will probably be the first time you will talk to him about what losing a loved one means, so it is necessary to help him understand everything that this entails.

You can sweeten the pill, present it as you see fit, but the important thing is not to create false expectations, nor to generate erroneous ideas in his mind.

Answer each of his questions

As you well know, when a loved one dies a thousand doubts arise, and this is a situation that generates a lot of anguish because in these moments there is nothing that can be done.

However, if your child is going through one of these moments, you need to help him clear up all his doubts by answering the questions that are bothering his mind.

The important thing is to make him understand that none of what happened is his fault, that he will no longer see his pet, that you will be by his side to overcome this sad moment and that this is the natural cycle of life.

Always listen to it

Just like adults, children have different ways of expressing their pain. One of the most common ways is to talk about the memories they have with the person or animal who left them, so in this case they will want to talk about their pet.

Always listen to him and remind him from time to time yourself of the unforgettable moments they lived together. 

Even if he may be overwhelmed by nostalgia, it will help him to get through this difficult time.

Allow some time to pass before getting another animal

One of the most common mistakes that many parents make when their child is going through the loss of their pet is to immediately buy another one, believing that in this way the child can quickly forget the death of his friend.

The best thing you can do, however, is to let some time pass for the little one to assimilate the pain. It is necessary to go through the different stages of mourning to accept the detachment and start from scratch.

Keep in mind that the children will have to be able to overcome this difficult time on their own, and it will always be they who will have to communicate to you the desire to have a new animal.

Do not forget!

Few things in life are more difficult than saying goodbye to an animal forever: in fact, they are beings who have shared joys and sorrows with us.

When children are going through this, it is extremely important to be able to count on someone who can understand them and help them realize that this is a natural thing, even if it is painful.

If you can follow these little tips, your children will be able to get through this tough time.