As you start thinking about how to help a child who is dealing with the loss of a loved one, it can be crucial that you consider whether or not you should take them to the funeral or memorial service. This is not something that is easy to do. It can be important to consider a few things to ensure that your child can benefit from attending a service. Here are some things that directors of funeral homes in Rolling Prairie, IN want you to keep in mind.
You want to be sure that your child understands what death is. If they are too young, they may not be able to grasp the concept and that can make attending the service more confusing for them. When you let your loved one know about the death of the person, see how much they understand to be sure that they are ready for it. If you see that they are having trouble grasping what it is, they may not be ready to go to the funeral or memorial service.
Another thing you want to remember is that how close your child was to the person can also have an impact. If they were very close, then your child may even ask to go to the service themselves without prompting. That is something that you definitely want to keep in mind. The closer they were, the more benefits that the child can receive from going to the service. This can help you decide if they are ready or not.
You want to also ask your child about going to the service. Some children will tell you at once if they want to go while others will not know. If your child tells you that they do not want to go, you should never force them to do so, since that can cause more emotional damage. You want to listen to what they want and respect their wishes. If your child does want to go to the service, you need to let them do so. They may even want to speak at the service. Listen to your child and pay attention to what they tell you. It is also a good idea to ask your child again on the actual day of the service to make certain that they have not changed their minds.
Taking a child to a funeral or memorial service can be beneficial to the child but only if they can understand what is happening and if they wanted to attend. You should never force a child to go to the service and you should be sure that the child knows what a service is. To learn more about taking a child to a funeral or memorial service, you can reach out to a Rolling Prairie, IN funeral home like us at Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. We have a team of experts ready to help you with all of this. Stop by our location today or call us now.