famIly matters BETTY RICHARDSON Richardson, PhD, RN, CS, LPC, LMFT, is an Austin-based psychotherapist.
Q
My daughters, ages 4 and 7, have two pets who are both very old: a cat named Ping Pong and a dog named Bubba. The dog has been diagnosed with cancer and given a prognosis of three months or less to live. These pets are like members of the family. I have no idea how to help the girls deal with the death of a pet. What advice do you have for me?
VISIT austinfamily.com ¿Cómo puedo ayudar a mis hijas con la muerte de una mascota?
A
Any readers who have pets will understand the idea of a pet being a family member and how sad one can become at even the thought of a pet’s death. Pets sleep with many of us. They provide comfort and enjoyment. They let us know we are loved when others reject us. We spend a lot of time and money caring for our pets. I commend you for wanting to have a plan in mind when one of your pets dies, so you will be more prepared to handle the situation, especially with your girls. Here are some suggestions for helping your children deal with a pet that is sick or has passed on: 1. Help your children identify their feelings and talk about these feelings. Kids will likely experience sadness, of course. They may also experience anger, denial, fear, guilt and any number of other feelings. You can be a role model by sharing your feelings too.
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August 2022
p l e H I o D w Ho e h t h t i W s d i K My ? t e P a f o h Deat View the magazine online at austinfamily.com
