Some tips for parents trying to help a child through the loss of a pet.
Most interesting: don’t use euphemisms like “God took Buffy to heaven.” Experts Allen and Linda Anderson say “these ways of describing death can be confusing to children and can cause them to fear going to sleep or getting sick, to fear or feel angry toward God, or to believe the pet will come back someday.”
One meta point: treat it like it’s a big deal. Don’t make the child feel like its silly to grieve because its just a pet.
What advice to you have?