Someday they’ll have to say goodbye.
That’s why we created the
Pet Loss Survival Kit for KIDS
ages 4-11(-ish)
Whether it was a dog they’ve grown up with, the cat your family adopted, or the lizard they brought home from the fair …
Pets can become a child’s best pal.
A friend they play with, a buddy they confide in.
It goes without saying that pets are great teachers of responsibility:
feeding
exercising
cleaning up poop
They’re also a master class in the core principles of healthy relationships:
caring
compassion
loyalty
empathy
and that all important, “we … not just me”
The downside? They’re often a wee-one’s introduction to:
immortality of beings
impermanence of their world
grief
testimonial from a grateful mom
“ … Ditty was a member of our family before my son came on the scene. We lost Ditty when my son was seven. Two years later he still has Ditty’s ashes on his desk so he can “see her” every day when he’s doing his homework. A few weeks ago a kind and caring friend of mine gave him the Pet Loss Kit for Kids. …”
(continued below)
It breaks your heart to see them hurting.
Saying goodbye to a family pet—furry, feathered, scaly or whatever—rattles a child’s world.
You instinctively wrap them in cuddle-hugs,
comfort them with soothing words.
But don’t you wish you could do more?
BLOG & Instagram Posts
one-of-a-kind, ARTS & ACTIVITIES Kits help you … help them:
Nurture the courage to brave loss.
Develop healthy coping skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
Avoid the deceptive trap of running from/ignoring/burying the hard times and painful emotions that visit every life.
(continued from above …)
“ … The Activity Cards suggest activities (brief, manageable and impactful) that were both comforting and helpful for my son to begin to understand mortality and deal with loss. We told our favorite Ditty stories and laughed and cried together. It’s a really great concept. …”
(continued below)
Guide Them as They…
1. Process an ocean of emotions:
confusion
anger
fear
betrayal
abandonment
and infinite other possibilities
2. Figure out how to brave all manner of childhood catastrophes, small to large—not just painful pet goodbyes:
losing a cherished teddy bear/toy truck/book
best friend moving away
(ditto infinite other possibilities)
3. Develop solid foundational skills for dealing with the traumas and heartbreak all-too-common in adulthood.
laid off from a job
separated from a life-partner
worldly possessions vanished in winds/floods/fire
(double-ditto the infinite)
(continued from above …)
“ … The types and quality of the art supplies is excellent (Crayola markers, googly eyes, a good sized bottle of Mod Podge, bookmark tassels, etc). Creating a keepsake box for Ditty’s collar and special photos of the two of them together turned out to be a rewarding family project. This experience has been a gift for the whole family.” Julie
Do you feel equipped to step up?*
After all, who was YOUR grief role model …?
(*Many of us don’t realize we’re
not prepared until we step in it.)
My beloved granddaughter was six when she proudly showed me her first goldfish, swimming placidly in a baggie of clear water.
She asked what she should name it. I suggested Flush, because that was what she’d soon be doing with its little carcass.
She burst into tears.
Talk about cynical and insensitive. (Wanna see my AOT Century trophy?)
Yes, my intentions were pure. (Prepare this tenderhearted child for inevitable heartache.) My failure colossal.
My granddaughter, now an adult, can rib me about the psychological scaring. But it still makes me cringe.
If you feel even half as clueless and ill-equipped as I was
The Grief Relief Project
has your back.
A FREEBIE to
Help YOU Help Them
60 Research-based GUIDES to Grief
thought-provoking insights
action-oriented suggestions
Support in 5 Categories
The Down ‘n’ Dirty of Grief (What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You)
Is It Normal to Grieve “Just a Cat/Dog”? (Damn tootin’ it is!)
Support System: You Ain’t Alone In This, Baby (Except Mostly You Are …)
Grief Tamers: Healthier Than Denial, Bluffing (or Sex/Drugs/Rock ‘n’ Roll)
Life After Death (Yours … After
TEENS Grieve, Too
If a teen you care about is grieving the loss of a pet,
find tools to help them
on Instagram
