Would You Tell An 8 Year Old Their Dog Died?

4Xcut

Like the title says: If you're son/daughter had a pet that had to be put down, would you explain the situation to them that it was better rather than leaving the animal in pain or would you lie.

Personally, i would probably tell them and allow them to learn about mortality rather than coddle them. How young would you say is too young.

NOTE:Mods, i posted this thread here as its not a parenting issue but rather a curiosity to people's general opinions.

kev_s88

yes i would and i would be as brutal and graphic about it as possible....


just to let them know the truth

TestTransmission

Yes,i would.Anything less than 8 can get dodgy...My parents did this to me when i was young..i only found out a few years back that my beloved dog didnt actually run away...

seamus

The concept of death is tough even for adults to think about, but I don't think that children should be spared from the truth.

I'm not sure if I'd go into any great detail about the process. Even if a person isn't religious, it may be easier from a child's perspective to say that the dog is now chasing cats in heaven or something along those lines rather than attempt to broach the "is there life after death" topic.

passive

Gladly and have done so on many occasions!

Whether or not they had dogs or said dogs were deceased is an unknown factor in this scenario, right?

Dragan

Well of course..... the sight of my kid playing with a dead dog might just disturb the neighbours a little bit.

Dyr

i think it should be used as a learning tool, tell the little fecker that the dogs dead and he's next if he doesnt buck up and start flying straight.

Susannahmia

Yeah of course, they have to learn about the reality of death sometime and this is a perfect opportunity. Better they learn this with an animal instead of first confronting the concept when a loved one dies.

mike65

What Susannahmia says (except to note the 8 year old will think of a pet as a loved one).

Mike.

Susannahmia

mike65 wrote: »

What Susannahmia says (except to note the 8 year old will think of a pet as a loved one).

Mike.

Meh they'd get over it a hell of a lot quicker.

ScumLord

No lie's. My old pair told me my doberman ran away but I overheard my father telling a friend they had to reload the shotgun to kill him. I spent ages searching and waiting for me poor ol dog to come home but it never happened. In the end I shot the ol lad.

Earthhorse

Yes. But only if the dog had not, in fact, died.

fenris

Yes - tell them, it is important that they know that the dog is not coming back.

When one of our dogs died we left the kids (14 months and 3 year at the time) say good bye, it was bloody hard going watching the 1 year old wag the dogs tail as she had never seen her without a wagging tail, then let it drop.

We still get questions fron the eldest, that would break your heart.

event

yeah, show them the body too sure

FunkZ

Yeah you'd definitely have to tell them...

Pighead

Would definitely tell the kid that the dog was dead. Probably wouldn't tell him/her how it died though. No 8 year old needs to hear about the ins and outs of anal traumas.

Adam

Pighead wrote: »

Would definitely tell the kid that the dog was dead. Probably wouldn't tell him/her how it died though. No 8 year old needs to hear about the ins and outs of anal traumas.

I read this thread solely for your post. I have to admit though, I was a little disappointed...

arybvtcw0eolkf

Make a curry, have an after dinner chat about the dogs faith

azezil

Pighead wrote: »

Would definitely tell the kid that the dog was dead. Probably wouldn't tell him/her how it died though. No 8 year old needs to hear about the ins and outs of anal traumas.

You fúck dogs to death?

Adam

Pighead wrote: »

Sometimes, you're looking a bit worried there azezil buddy.

Well after his encounter with 6th he's been feeling a little "vulnerable"....

Pighead

azezil wrote: »

You fúck dogs to death?

Sometimes, you're looking a bit worried there azezil buddy.

Adam

I did it! I broke the space time continuum!!! And it only took me three thousand posts!

*yay arms*

John Mason

all you have to say is "your dog is dead, build a bridge" sorted

ejmaztec

I told our kids that some bastard had run over the cat. It was about ten years later I told them that the bastard was me.:mad: I've been looking over my shoulder ever since.

7th

I wouldn't tell any kid that a dog died. You know why? Because there is no such thing as death. Or dogs.

Adam

Ell. Oh. Ell.

My friend has had many cats. One got obliterated on the road right outside his house one night when he was about twelve. He was out there with the shovel the next morning, scraping the fluffy bastard off the road.

Adam

7th wrote: »

I wouldn't tell any kid that a dog died. You know why? Because there is no such thing as death. Or dogs.

Gasp! You sir, are a failure.

Or a con artist... ¬_¬

Rb

I'm undecided, though I did vote yes. I had a dog when I was around that age that we'd rescued from a dodgy animal shelter (that is now shut down) that was sick, vet tried his best but I came home from school one day to find out that my mother had to have it put down. I was absolutely distraught after it and held it against her for quite a while, as I was blaming her for killing it and I don't really think it helped me learn about death tbh.

Maximilian

I think I would tell the child the dog has gone to get married to some pretty little flowers in Fluffyland. I would then present some bloody entrails from my pocket and flash strobe lights at him.

passive

ejmaztec wrote: »

I told our kids that some bastard had run over the cat. It was about ten years later I told them that the bastard was me.:mad: I've been looking over my shoulder ever since.

You Bastard :P

RonMexico

Do the reasonble thing and tell the kid that George W. Bush ate the poor bastard.

phasers

I'd probably tell them, but embellish a bit


"He's in heaven now chasing cats and watching over you..."

lilmissprincess

When I was small I had a budgie called Bluebell. I was told Bluebell flew out the window when my mam was cleaning the cage.
I finally copped on last year that the budgie had died. I'd spent two years praying the bird would come back!

So, yeah, tell em.

luckat

No. I'd either work up to it very gradually or work out a flat lie. Life is too full of pain.

Jay P

Yes. My friend actually convinced his 8 year old brother that his dog died, to the point where the kid started crying. He said he got in trouble, but im sure it was all worth it.

Bob the Builder

Dragan wrote: »

Well of course..... the sight of my kid playing with a dead dog might just disturb the neighbours a little bit.

Well leave the dog standing up, and it might not look as obvious...

...yes, i'd tell them, as nicely as possible.

The Bollox

I voted yes, but it was more of a general view. I dunno if I would have the heart to tell an 8 year old the pet they had known for all their life had to be put down, it would be very hard to explain

Davidius

It would really depend. I never had that experience when I was really young. It's been a year since my childhood pet (cat) died and I still haven't quite gotten used to the concept. I'm still quite upset about it actually.

Thinking about it I'd probably sugar coat to a huge degree.

iguana

Just wondering what those who think telling them the truth is a bit dodgy think my parents should have told me when I was 5 and my grandfather died?

Peyton Manning

If it was me, I'd wait until you do poor in a test in school. Then I'd leave the dead grandparents body in your room to find, and as you bawl your eyes out upon discovering grandead, Id calmly whisper in your ear 'this is because you did poor in school'....

Youd have several degrees by this stage...

Black Swan

A difficult time indeed for someone under 8, but don't become a role model that selectively lies to their children. Yes, I would try to work through it with them.

Ross_Mahon

They need to understand the meaning of death, i would never lie to the child

lookleft

I would because they will find out anyway and the will be upset about being lied to