Should Your Child Attend a Service?

As your family comes to terms with the death of a loved one, you want to consider your children, too, and how they deal with the loss. This is can sometimes be complicated, since you may not be sure if the same things that can help an adult deal with grief can also help a child. One of these things can be attending the funeral or memorial service. If you are wondering if this is something that your child can benefit from, there are some things that providers of cremation services in Adelphi, MD want you to consider.

How Close Was Your Child to the Deceased?

You want to think about this since the closer the person was to your child the more important it can be to offer them closure. Many times, your child will let you know this themselves, by the way, that they react to the loss or with even a request to attend the service. If your child was not very close to the person, the service may not be as effective as you may want, so keep that in mind, as well.

Does Your Child Understand Death?

If your child is too young, they may not be able to grasp the concept of death. This is something that can mean they are not ready to attend the service. A child who does not really grasp what death is will not be able to get the benefits of the service. When you let your child know about the death of the person, be sure that you monitor just how much they understand. If you see that they are confused by the concept of death, you will want to remember that.

Does Your Child Want to Attend?

It is important to consider if your child wants to go to the service. If they do not, you should never push your child to go, since that can cause more harm than good. You also want to keep in mind that some children may want to attend and will let you know at once. They may even want to give a eulogy or speak at the service. You should never forbid them from doing so. Do remember to ask the child again on the day of the service, since they can sometimes change their minds and not be sure of how to tell you.

These are some important considerations to have when deciding if your child should go to a funeral or memorial service. This can be a tough decision and it can be a good idea to ask the child before doing anything else. If you want to know more about whether or not to take your child to a funeral or memorial, you can reach out to an Adelphi, MD cremation service provider like us at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. We are ready to help you with all of your needs. Give us a call right now to speak with one of our experts.