Fern Michonski / Fern’s Music
Pre-School Music Education Expert: The Children’s Advocate for Love and Kindness, Inspiring Creativity and Joy.
June 20, 2013—Helping a Child through the Loss of a Pet 
As I have written in the past, pets are tremendous assets to families, teaching children about nurturing, kindness, joy, love and death. Their love is unconditional and the lessons we learn from them are invaluable.
This past Sunday one of my precious cats passed away. Some folks have told me they chose not to have any pets in their home because of the fact that animal’s lives are much shorter than ours and it would be too sad to lose one. My answer to that is the animal’s love and memories live in your heart forever. That is a precious gift that can never be taken away. I had 6 cats. Now I have 5. You might think I would not miss just one. That is not the case. Oliver was an awesome cat with a mighty personality! He was a “watch cat.” He loved each of us and would perch at the top of the stairs every night, just keeping a close eye on things throughout the night. When my son moved out and headed for college, it was Oliver who sat by his door and cried—and it was Oliver who would trot happily to greet him when he came back home. He loved us and we loved him.
Does it hurt to lose Oliver? It sure does. Would I have preferred that I never owned him? No way. I would do it again and again and again. So just how do you help your child with the passing of a precious pet? Here are my suggestions:
- Frame a picture of your pet.
- Suggest that your child draw pictures of their pet and make a scrapbook of their art.
- Make a little memorial for your pet in your yard.
- Read books to your children about pet loss. There are several on the market. One is: “Remembering My Pet” by Molly Phinney Baskette
- As an adult, read “Wagging Tails In Heaven: The Gift of our Pets Everlasting Love” by Gary Kurz. Then discuss your thoughts about the book with your child.
- Together make a donation to your local SPCA in memory of your pet. This will encourage your child to look toward the future and help other animals in need.
- Talk to your child about how they are feeling. Express how you are feeling to them. Tell them it is alright to cry and feel fine to cry together. It will make your child feel better to know you share their feelings of loss.
- Personally, I feel it is best to wait a short period of time before rushing out to get a new pet. I feel time is needed to mourn. However, when the time comes to purchase a new pet, include your child in the decision. Looking forward to a new friend is always uplifting.
- Watch “The Rainbow Bridge.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxqM3zpvuSo. It is beautiful.
This blog is in memory of my precious cat. Thanks for your love, the crazy things you always did and for making me laugh. You were an awesome cat and we will love you forever. God Bless You Oliver.