The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

How Can I Explain a Pet’s Death to Children? - Funeral.com, Inc.

How Can I Explain a Pet’s Death to Children?

For many children, a pet is their first encounter with deep loss. They curl up with them during storms, whisper secrets into fur, and count on that steady presence in...

Explaining Pet Death to Children Without Saying “They Went to Sleep” - Funeral.com, Inc.

Explaining Pet Death to Children Without Saying “They Went to Sleep”

For many families, a pet’s death is the first time a child comes face to face with loss. You are grieving yourself, making decisions about cremation, memorials, and what to...

How to Tell Children a Pet Has Died When They Weren’t There - Funeral.com, Inc.

How to Tell Children a Pet Has Died When They Weren’t There

For many families, a pet’s last moments happen away from home. A dog may be euthanized at the vet after a sudden emergency. A cat might die while a child...

Helping Neurodivergent Kids and Teens Cope With Pet Loss - Funeral.com, Inc.

Helping Neurodivergent Kids and Teens Cope With Pet Loss

When a beloved pet dies, the whole rhythm of a household changes. For neurodivergent kids and teens—including autistic children, young people with ADHD, or those with other learning and processing...

Helping Children Understand the Death of a Pet: Gentle Words That Help - Funeral.com, Inc.

Helping Children Understand the Death of a Pet: Gentle Words That Help

A beloved pet is more than a companion, they are a constant presence, a listener, a playmate, and a source of comfort. When a pet passes away, it can shake...

Talking to Children About a Pet’s Death: Honest, Gentle Guidance for Families - Funeral.com, Inc.

Talking to Children About a Pet’s Death: Honest, Gentle Guidance for Families

Losing a beloved pet is often a child’s first encounter with the permanence of death. The wagging tail, the soft purrs, and the joyful companionship can vanish in an instant,...

Helping Kids Create a Pet Memorial: Simple Crafts and Rituals - Funeral.com, Inc.

Helping Kids Create a Pet Memorial: Simple Crafts and Rituals

When a beloved pet dies, adults often juggle calls to the vet, decisions about funeral planning, and practical questions like what to do with ashes. Children feel the same loss,...

Balancing Children’s Activities and School with Grief: Attendance, Homework, and Gentle Flexibility - Funeral.com, Inc.

Balancing Children’s Activities and School with Grief: Attendance, Homework, and Gentle Flexibility

On the outside, the morning looks normal. Backpacks by the door, a half-finished cereal bowl on the table, a reminder email from the school about an upcoming project. But everything...

When Kids Blame Themselves After a Pet Dies: How to Reassure and Support Them - Funeral.com, Inc.

When Kids Blame Themselves After a Pet Dies: How to Reassure and Support Them

The loss of a family pet touches every member of the household, but children often experience a unique layer of worry they can’t always express. You might notice it in...

Helping Kids Create Their Own Memorials: Drawings, Letters, Crafts, and Comfort Items - Funeral.com, Inc.

Helping Kids Create Their Own Memorials: Drawings, Letters, Crafts, and Comfort Items

When a child experiences the loss of a loved one, helping children express grief can feel both delicate and overwhelming for adults. The sadness they carry is often complex, expressed...

Explaining Pet Euthanasia to Children: Gentle Language for a Very Hard Topic - Funeral.com, Inc.

Explaining Pet Euthanasia to Children: Gentle Language for a Very Hard Topic

When a beloved pet is very sick or in pain, adults often find themselves wrestling with two heartbreaks at once: the decision to choose euthanasia, and the question of explaining...

Child and Teen Grief: How to Support Younger People After a Death in the Family - Funeral.com, Inc.

Child and Teen Grief: How to Support Younger People After a Death in the Family

Grief in children and teenagers can be confusing and unpredictable. They often express loss differently than adults expect, shifting from laughter to tears, asking blunt questions, or acting out at...

Should Children Attend Funerals? Age-by-Age Guidance and How to Prepare Them - Funeral.com, Inc.

Should Children Attend Funerals? Age-by-Age Guidance and How to Prepare Them

Deciding whether children should attend funerals is one of the most sensitive choices a family can face. Parents often feel a mix of emotions, grief, uncertainty, and the desire to...

Should Children Attend Funerals? Age-by-Age Considerations, Preparation, and Alternatives - Funeral.com, Inc.

Should Children Attend Funerals? Age-by-Age Considerations, Preparation, and Alternatives

When someone dies, adults often struggle with one big question: Should the kids come to the funeral? You might worry that it will be too scary or sad, or that...

Helping Children Understand Death and Grieve - Funeral.com, Inc.

Helping Children Understand Death and Grieve

Updated: November 25, 2025 Explaining death to children is one of the most delicate and vital tasks a parent or caregiver can face. When someone loved—whether a family member, pet,...