Coming in late here, but my wife and believe it is best to be honest with kids - but vary the level of detail based on their age/level of maturity.
When my father was diagnosed with cancer, we were very honest with our children about how bad it was. When he decided to stop chemo and enter hospice, we explained to them that it meant that Be-Pa was going to die soon. I think we were more honest with our kids about what was going on than my mother was with my brother and sister. We think it helped them better cope when he did pass away. They were sad, but not inconsolable (like my sister was). On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 1:36 PM, GMoney <[email protected]> wrote: > > So we have to put our dog down. My son is 4 and daughter 2, both just a few > months from turning 5 and 3. > > Should i tell them before I take the dog in, and explain that she won't be > coming back...so that they can say a goodbye? Would they feel overwhelming > sadness? I'm ok with them feeling sad that she's going away, but i don't > want them to be emotionally wrecked. > > I think the 2 year old is probably young enough to just move on, but Ben > will definitely know that he's going to lose his pet forever. > > I dunno...anyone had to deal with this at a similar age for their kids? > > I'm thinking I should either: > > 1) Tell them the day before i'm taking her in that she's leaving for good > tomorrow, and they should say goodbye...then just answering their questions > honestly afterwards or > 2) Not telling them before hand, and waiting until they ask where the dog > is before explaining why she had to go away. > > Advice? > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:369254 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
