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8 dog training tips for you and your dog.
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. fayolap@yahoo.com Dog Training Tips 8 dog training tips for...

Baby Room Themes: Fun Ideas Your Baby Will Love
Decorating a nursery for your new baby can be a fun and exciting experience. It will be the first place for your baby to dream, to experience, and to grow. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Location. Calm surroundings are critical to a...

Hiring a Cheap Photographer Without Tarnishing Your Image
You take a look at your budget, then a look at your expenses and as tears well up, you consider cutting a few corners. Nice photographs won't pay the bills, right? But wait, you've heard the horror stories of "ruined" memories when the couple goes...

Sizzling Hot Summer Sun & Money Making Fun
Did you notice the air is getting warmer, the trees are budding & your wallet is empty? Your Sizzling Hot Summer is just around the corner. You know you’ll have extra time on your hands and an empty wallet in your pocket. I bet you're thinking that...

Toys For Your Pet That Are Safe and Fun
There are plenty of toys on the market to keep your favorite pet entertained for hours on end, but there are also a number of factors to consider when purchasing toys for your pet. As with children's toys, safety should be first and...

 
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Grieving Children

While it is my belief that death is just one more experience to seek growth and soul development in our current physical forms, losing a loved one is never easy. Our family has experienced its fair share of grief in the past few years. We’ve lost my sister-in-law (my daughters’ aunt), a beloved uncle and a cherished pet, to name just a few.

I try to reassure my daughters that a loved one who has moved on is safe and happy, however, we still need to grieve and accept the inevitable feelings of loss and sadness. Loved ones will be missed. Opportunities to share life and experiences will have been cut short. They know that it’s OK to feel sad and to cry. As soon as possible after the initial shock and sadness over losing a cherished one has passed, I try to bring happy memories of the person back into our lives. It’s important to remember the love and lessons we’ve learned from them with joy in our hearts and with respect for the time we’ve had to share our lives in their company.

I tell my daughters that they can talk to the person who has passed on any time they feel like it. That person will now always be available to listen. We will still feel love for our missed relative or pet and we include the departed soul in our prayers until it feels right to let them go. We ask that they are well taken


care of and loved as much as we love them. This helps ease their anxiety of the unknown and allows them to feel that their loved one is in some way protected from whatever they might imagine exists “out there.”

I’m sure, among our readers, religious and spiritual beliefs are many and varied. It is our responsibility to help our children understand that the unknown is not a scary place and to feel secure in life’s mysteries. Even if you feel there is “nothing” after this life, children will benefit by assurances that they and their loved ones have a purpose for being.

As parents, we will be challenged to guide our kids through a myriad of life’s ups and downs. If we respect their limited understanding of the issues and guide their thoughts with a loving heart and acceptance of each aspect of life, no matter how difficult, we’ve done the best we can under sometimes-extreme circumstances.

About the Author

Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters. She maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com – http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html