Your companion animal is probably your child's best friend. Whether they grew up together or one came first, there is no doubt of the special love between child and animal. When the animal is ill or dying, it is tempting to keep the child away or sugarcoat the experience, but in doing so we miss a very big opportunity to teach our children about caring for those in need, healthy grieving, and recovering from a loss.
We may be so overwhelmed with our own struggles, the physical demands of caring for an ill pet, the mental strain of making tough decisions and being well-informed, or our own grief that it is hard to think about this as a Teaching Moment for our children.
Keep in mind that most things that happen as an animal is terminally ill or dying
are not an emergency. Yes, there is on-going often intensive care and there can be crisis moments, but most of the day to day progression of the illness or age happens slowly, or slow enough, for us to take a break and catch our breath. Make sure you do this at least once a day.
