As a bereavement counselor, im often asked by parents how best to help children deal with the loss of a pet. Choose where to store an urn of the animals remains. Although its a very common experience, losing a beloved pet can be difficult for children and parents. Support groups the association for pet loss and bereavement chatrooms with free expert supportive guidance. Children and adults face the same jumble of confusing emotions. It explains dying and talks about the vet, the pet as a beloved family member, and ways to remember. When children experience serious illness, loss, grief or trauma, its crucial to allow them to express and cope with emotions while at the same time, helping them understand, as developmentally appropriate as possible, what is happening. To vote on books not in the list or books you couldnt find in the list, you can click on the tab add books to this list and then choose from your books, or simply search. The loss of a pet can be a significant source of grief in a family. Top 5 grief books for children ages 17 eluna network. Which children s books about loss really affected you. Conversations around death will inevitably arise, and little ones may begin to ask a lot of tough questions. There is really no right or wrong way to approach this sensitive subject, but its important that, when a pet death happens or is about to happen, we explain things as openly and honestly as we can, and.
Best childrens books about the death of a pet living. For some children, their understanding of the difference between the absence of a parent and the loss of one is muddied. Telling children about death is not easyyet this book is about healing pet loss for kids. New ones will have to be created, and it can be beneficial to discuss this. This book can also be found on our bibliography page. To help youngsters through this time, a book may be able to help explain. The story shows them that its okay to feel sad and that its good to talk and share their stories with others.
These are the books i consider to be the most helpful for anyone going through the terrible grief of losing a beloved pet. It makes a fine supplement to this abbreviated webpage. Included in the many chapters dealing with all aspects of healing from pet bereavement, there is a special chapter. Helping a child through the grieving process can be challenging, but with children and pet loss, love, honesty and support are the most important things you can offer. Rylants books sidestep death itself and skip straight to the deliciousness of pet paradise. That can lead to disorganization in family functioning, due to bereavement and changes in routines. Best childrens books about the death of a pet living montessori. Below are options for caregivers of children to help them through the loss of a beloved pet. Talk to a childrens librarian for other appropriate search terms. If youre in the midst of this experience with a little one, these eleven books may help your child to cope with their feelings. Books can be a great resource for helping children work through their emotions in the wake of their loss and for giving parents an. Listen with your heart and validate their feelings. They can only feel what theyre feelingthat the parent they loved is no longer around. Best childrens books for helping children cope with the death of a pet.
Parents and caregivers who want to find other books should look for books that address childrens grief and loss, natural disasters, anxiety, and dealing with tragedy. Chances spot support forums, and helpful information about pet loss. These books sensitively address loss and offer hope. When dealing with euthanasia, or sudden loss due to an emergency illness or injury, the decisions that must be made and the ultimate loss of the pet bring up a lot of conflicting and difficult emotions. For many kids, the death of a cherished animal is often their first experience of losing someone they love. Even children who arent directly dealing with loss or grieving often still have questions about the concepts. Dog heaven is a place filled with wide lakes, loud geese, angels, and children which, rylant explains, dogs love more than anything else in the world, so god fills dog heaven with plenty of them. Unpublished workbook, katie nurmi 2002 230 this is your book about you and your pet who is gone. Best children s books about death some of the stories that stay with us the longest are the ones about the loss of a loved one. This book helps children grieve the loss of a loved one. We have posts on the impact of age on understanding, on grief journals and workbooks for kid s, on the risks of using euphemisms, on art activities for grieving kids, on art activities for grieving kids and adults, on talking to kids about suicide, an activity book for kids after a suicide, on holiday activities for kid.
How to help your child cope with the loss of a pet. He is so excited to be in the book and he now wants the dog to sleep in bed with him. I wrote this book because when i was a child, nobody really wanted to let me talk about how i felt when my pets died. Told from the perspective of the pet, the book helps owners work through the emotions of losing a beloved animal companion. Adjusting to loss in a long process and is unique to each and every person. A more interactive book, this is both a story and a journal that can become a keepsake for a cherished pet that has passed away. Our children s book experts put together a list of picture books. I think this book could be great for bereaved parents because it allows them to read about how their child may be processing grief. The pet grief printable below is a perfect way to honor the students loss while providing them with a sense of closure. Books can be an important tool for understanding emotions and sparking conversation.
Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Picture books to help kids cope with the loss of a pet. The loss of such a special friend can be devastating and hard to comprehend. Books to help children grieve the death of a pet brightly.
Many children must face the terminal illness and death of pets, grandparents, other friends and family members, and more. I wrote the book under guidance from an elementary school counselor and licensed childrens therapist, to help introduce the loss of a pet to elementary aged children in. The death of a pet is often the first experience a child has with loss. But it also connects the experience of death to children s emotional lives. Visit petlandia, and in a few seconds, you can create a beautifully illustrated, custom pet story book starring your real life pet. A small child describes all the aspects of life that are now changed due to the loss of beloved dog lily. While death is not explicitly mentioned, this book is a lovely resource for offering reassurance to children who have experienced the loss of a parent. Following is a list of books that are recommended by grief and crisis experts working with children. Establish a special place to hang photos of the pet. Childrens books about death, loss, and grieving the new. Children tend to grieve differently than adults do and they need lots of love, guidance and support. Only books that have been personally recommended to me by users of are listed here. When shiner died will make a wonderful resource for a child, or an adult, who recently lost their pet.
Children also tend to comeback to the subject repeatedly. Holly webb, author of a tiger tale, shares the most touching books that help us talk and think about loss of a loved one. The beautiful way to explain death to children that is wonderful to have in your collection because it applies to every life and death situation. Books for children dealing with loss or trauma updated 7115. Books for grieving children grief resources allina health.
Best coping with loss of pets books for kids pragmatic mom. Till we meet again, a childrens book about death and. How to help children deal with loss psychology today. Apart from the story of shiners death, the book contains several pages for young readers to share about their pet, and suggestions for adults in helping children following the loss of a pet. Best children s books for helping children cope with the death of a pet. Pet loss books these are the books i consider to be the. The loss of a pet is undoubtedly one of the hardest things for a child to experience. Pet loss books sometimes just reading the stories of grief shared by others who have lost a beloved pet can provide great comfort to you. Children often develop strong bonds with their pet, to them it might be more than a goldfish or a hamster. They may regard their pet as a friend, or someone to share secrets with.
The aim of this book is to provide therapists, counselors, educators, parents, social workers, veterinarians, and physicians with resources to help children cope with the loss of a pet. Childrens picture books about the death of a pet thoughtco. The following books have been chosen as the top 5 for children aged. The unnamed child narrates the story, beginning with a motionfilled spread detailing all the fun, active ways that the small, brown dog liked to play. A few highly recommended books to help children cope with the death of a pet. The books below help you to know that you are not alone in your sorrow, nor are you silly or crazy to mourn your loss so deeply.
Books from centering corporations seasons of grief books which include books for children on sibling grief, perinatal loss, mother on bed rest, living with cancer, pet death, natural disasters. It will help with the issues of pet loss, grief and loss, and ultimately healing pet loss for your child. Let them know its normal to grieve the loss of a pet, especially because pets are members of the family. Most of these books can be purchased through other book sellers, as well, or found at your local library. Books that deal with this sad event can help prepare them and make it easier for them to. Books can be a great resource for helping children work through their emotions in th. The loss of a pet is one of the hardest things for a child to experience. Helping chrildren cope with the death of a beloved pet. It may be a book about dog heaven, a book about what. Learn about children s books that will help in this free video clip about coping with pet loss for children. This nonfiction book is a classic from the gentle mr. Identifying messages from pets in heaven lyn ragan. They were all pretty old, but that also means that all three were part of the family for my kids entire lives.