From our lovely contributors at This Mom S**t Is HARD! How to guide your child through the loss of a pet.
Our beloved dog died this morning while I was at work. It wasn’t unexpected, Dakota was 14 and had been sick for a while. Still a sad day in our house, especially for #3.
Despite the sadness, there is a silver lining…the death of the dog has provided some valuable life lessons for my kiddo.
LESSON 1 – Life Hurts Sometimes.
Life is an amazing journey, but sometimes it hurts. This is one of those times.
LESSON 2 -- Your Mom Will Always Be There.
Sadly, I was at work when the dog died, but #3 called to tell me the news. And then burst into tears. I wanted nothing more than to give him a hug but I couldn’t right that minute. But it didn’t matter, I stopped what I was doing, I listened, I reassured him, and I promised him a big old hug when I get home.
It worked wonders.
LESSON 3 -- Everything Dies.
Sadly, everything that lives also dies. As we’ve watched our dear old dog’s health decline, it’s prompted a number of conversations about death, dying and suffering. Heavy topics for a nine year old (or a 99 year old), but really good conversations with #3 where he can explore his thoughts, feelings and questions about a topic that we all find hard to talk about.
Want to the rest of this article? Click here to head on over to This Mom S**t Is HARD and read what else she has to say!