How to Prepare a Child for a Service
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Everyone benefits from a funeral or memorial service, including children. The ritual of the service can provide the kind of closure that they need and allows them to say goodbye to their loved one. It is important to know that you should take the time to prepare a child for the service. Age is a big factor, so depending on how old the child, you will need to keep a few things in mind. Here are the tips that funeral homes in Richmond, VA suggest you remember.
Honesty is vitally important when getting a child ready for a funeral or memorial service. It is always a good idea to sit the child down and tell them about what happened to the person you have all lost. It can be tempting to try to ease the news of the death, but it is better if you are honest as soon as possible and do not delay the news. You do not want to cause any confusion and this can happen if you use euphemisms. Instead, let them know the truth without elaboration.
The next thing you want to do is allow the child to ask any questions they may have about the death. This is not easy, and you may not have the answers, but being honest is the best option. A good way of preparing for this is to ask the funeral home director you are working with for answers to the most common questions that children ask about death. If you do not know the answer to something, you need to let your child know.
You also need to be certain that the child wants to attend the service. It is not helpful to anyone if your child does not want to go and you force them to do so. It will offer no healing benefits. Explain to them what the service will be like and allow them to decide if they want to go.
If they do want to attend the funeral service, you may want to schedule a visit to the location a few days before the service. Children get stressed about having to go to new locations, so allowing them to get used to the space and to get a sense of where the service will happen will help a lot. Schedule an appointment with the funeral home to do this.
These are all excellent ways to prepare a child for a funeral or memorial service. Not all of them will want to go, so you do need to give them the option and not think about forcing them to go. If you need to learn more about this, you can always reach out to a Richmond, VA funeral home director. At Morrissett Funeral and Cremation Service, we will gladly offer our suggestions so that your child will feel comfortable attending the service. Stop by our location at 6500 Iron Bridge Rd Richmond, VA 23234 or call us at (804) 275-7828.
