Braving Loss With Imagination

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

Everyone grieves in their own way, at their own pace. 

  • Some hearts feel shattered … some just sad

  • Grief can last for years … for only a few days

  • Things that help one person brave their loss … may not help another

CREATIVITY WITH MEANING & PURPOSE

Your child has just been through a heartrending goodbye to a special pet-pal. 

Informal “creative therapy” can help kids focus not just on their pain and distress. But also on the love they shared … on special memories that will forever be a part of them.

 

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES TO DO TOGETHER

  • Draw pictures of the emotions they feel

  • Ask a parent (or grandparent/aunt/uncle/extended family) about their first special pet … and how they felt when they had to say goodbye

  • Make a GIFT to give to someone who cared about their pet-buddy [like this bookmark††]

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  • Make a “food picture” of their pet [see the Playing With Your Food blog]

  • Make up a silly song about their pet …or about how they feel … or about whatever appeals to their imagination

  • Make a BOOK††, write a story about their pet-buddy

  • Make a MEMORY BOX††

 
 

CREATIVE ACTIVITIES CAN ALSO HELP KIDS

  • Process their grief-related “ocean of emotions

  • Gain experience braving all manner of childhood catastrophes, small to large

  • Develop healthy coping skills that will serve them in years to come

 

CONSIDER THIS BEFORE YOU START

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  • It’s critical that an adult/older sibling do the activities with the child. [Otherwise they may end up feeling more alone than before they started.]

  • Try to focus on not just their pain and distress, but also on the love they shared with their pet, with special memories that will forever be a part of them. (But let the child lead the way on this.)

  • Space it all out! Let the child/child’s attention span set the pace.

  • Different activities may suit different days/ times/situations as the child braves their loss

 
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IMPORTANT NOTE:

Recovering from a major loss doesn’t happen in one fell swoop. The more time/introspection invested, the greater the chance of deep healing. 

So hopefully adults-and-kids will be able to collaborate on the Activities over a few days/weeks. And brave your loss together … one meaningful action at a time.

 
 

††indicates supplies included in the
Pet Loss Survival Kit for KIDS

KidsElaine Taylor