Monthly Archives: March 2021

Dos and Do Nots of Speaking with a Child About Death

If your family has suffered a loss and you have children, you want to let them know the truth about what has happened. That is not an easy conversation to have and many people can balk at having to undertake it. If that is something that worries you, there are some dos and do nots that directors of funeral homes in Michigan City, IN want you to know.

Do use simple language that your child will understand and will not be confused by. It can be tempting to try and soften the blow of death by using language that is not direct, but this can be a mistake. You do not want your child to be confused and that can happen if you use euphemisms. Instead, use clear and honest language that can leave no doubt about what happened.

Do not forget to allow your child to ask questions. They are bound to have a number of them and you want to make certain that they feel comfortable enough to ask them. Encourage them to do so. You want to be honest with the answer you give your child, too. If you do not know the answer to a question, let them know that that is the case and ensure them that you will do your best to find out what the answer is.

Do include them in the funerary services if they want to attend. This can be confusing sometimes to parents, leaving them unsure if they should encourage the child to attend or not. It is important to let your child choose for themselves if they want to attend. Never force them to do so, since that can cause more harm than good.

Do let them know that you are grieving, too. You want to be sure that they know that they are not alone with what they are feeling. By telling them that you are dealing with the loss, too, and that you are sad about what has happened, you will be encouraging your child to express themselves, too.

These dos and do nots are crucial if you want to make certain that you can let your child know about the death of a loved one in a correct manner. You want to be honest with them and let them ask all of the questions that they may have. You also want to encourage them to attend the services if they want to do so. Take the time to let your child also know that you are going through grief, as well. If you still have questions about this and want to learn more, you can reach out to a Michigan City, IN funeral home like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. We are ready to answer any questions you may have about letting your child know of death in the family. Give us a call right now or stop by our location today.

How to Have a Service Out of Town

If you want to offer a loved one who has passed away a service that is at another location than the one where they died, you want to take some time to plan this. It can be a complex process to do this and you want to be certain that you know what to expect. Take the time to learn a bit about the things you have to know. Here are some tips that providers of cremation services in South Bend, IN want you to remember.

You need to have two funeral homes helping you with the arrangements. It is important to remember this, since a funeral home that works in one location may not be sure of how to make arrangements at another. It is a good idea to have people who have made these kinds of arrangements before so do look for providers who have experience. They will be able to help you coordinate the transport of the casket or urn and they will be able to take care of many of the other concerns you may have when planning this.

You also want to look at the airline guidelines. This is especially important if you are transporting a casket since it will usually travel as cargo. You want to consider the best options and you want to be sure that you know all of the guidelines. Different airlines have different guidelines in place and this can make things complicated. Be sure to ask lots of questions before deciding on the airline you hire.

You want to also let people know about the service as soon as possible. Chances are that there will be many people who need to make arrangements to travel to the service and this requires time. As soon as you know the details of where the service will take place, let people know so that they can start making plans for traveling.

Be sure to ask lots of questions from the providers you have chosen so that you know exactly what to expect as you start making these arrangements. You do not want to end up making mistakes and not being able to transport the casket or urn.

By keeping all of these things in mind, you will be able to make the arrangements that you want for your loved one. There are lots of things that you will need to decide. Be sure to think about hiring two funeral homes and to reach out to people as soon as you can to let them know when the service will be. If you still have concerns or questions, you can reach out to a South Bend, IN cremation service provider like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. Our team is here to answer all of the questions you have about this process. You can give us a call right now or you can stop by our location to learn more about what we can offer.

Planning a Funeral for a Child

Planning the funeral service for your child is incredibly difficult to do, but it can also help ensure you get the closure you need. You may not be sure where to begin, however, and this can make things more difficult. To help you with this, there are a few things that directors of funeral homes in South Bend, IN want you to know about.

You want to consider the kind of service that you have. For some families, having a regular funeral or memorial service is not the best option, so they turn to a celebration of life. A celebration of life can honor the life of the child without solely focusing on their passing, and it can offer the kind of cathartic help you need. By deciding the kind of service that you want, you can start narrowing options down.

Another thing that you want to remember is that there are options you have for the location of the service. Many times, people think that they are limited to having it at a funeral home or at a place of worship, but that is not the case. If you are thinking of cremation, you can plan a memorial service anywhere that you prefer, since you only have to transport the urn. Take the time to consider having the service at home, too. This can be a great location for a more intimate service if that is what you want.

You also want to remember that you can choose the kind of music that best suits the service that you want. You do not want to choose something that might not have meant anything to the child. If your family is not religious or if you do not want to have classical music at the service, you want to consider other kinds of music. You can put together a playlist of some favorite pieces or you can even ask the provider for some suggestions.

Another thing you want to think about is the decorations that you have. If you do not want to have funeral wreaths because you think they are too much for a child’s service, you can have other kinds of flowers. You can get brighter bouquets or you can request people donate some options. You can also choose to have balloons at the service instead of flowers.

These are some things that you want to remember when you start thinking about the kind of service you want to offer your child. You want to think about the kind of service you have as well as about the location of it. You also want to consider the decorations you have and the music you choose. If you still have questions about the service, you can reach out to a South Bend, IN funeral home like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. We are here to offer the kind of options that you need after losing a loved one. Give us a call right now to learn more.

Memorials During a Pandemic

Honoring the death of a loved one is never something that is easy but doing so during a pandemic is even more difficult. If you have lost a loved one recently, you may not be sure what options are available and what you can do to lay them to rest. Because of the stress that this can cause, providers of cremation services in Rolling Prairie, IN want you to remember a few important things.

It is possible to have a virtual memorial service. This is something that can help you lay your loved one to rest and ensure that you get the kind of closure you need after the death. Many funeral homes can provide this option. They will make the arrangements and deal with the logistics so that you do not have to stress about it. Most of the time, you and a few other people may be able to be present at the service, while others can join in virtually. You can still have eulogies and music so that you can honor the person the way they deserve.

Think about things you can do to bring your loved ones to mind that would have meant a lot to them. This can be something as simple as watching their favorite movie or cooking their favorite meal. It honors who they were and it allows you to get the kind of closure you need. You may also want to involve other people. You can have watch parties virtually or cook a meal for a few people in memory of your loved one.

Another option you have that can be a beautiful tribute is to donate time or money to a charity they would have supported. If the person was worried about the planet, why not volunteer for a beach cleanup or for something similar? You can donate money, too, to causes that deal with the environment. There are lots of charity options you can choose from, so take some time to consider this.

You also want to consider having a plaque installed somewhere they loved, like a park, or having a tree planted in their honor. These kinds of things can be very moving and they allow you to show everyone just how much the person meant to you. Be sure to ask the provider of funerary services for the options they recommend.

Honoring someone who died at this moment in time is more difficult but it can still be done. Think about planning a virtual service to give everyone a chance to say goodbye and see if you can do something in the person’s honor like donating to charities. To learn more about tributes for loved ones who have died, you can reach out to a Rolling Prairie, IN cremation service provider like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. We are ready to help you find the best options for your loved one and for your family. Give us a call today or visit us to speak with one of our experts.