Your child's pet has died, and you don't know what to say.
That's completely normal.
This is a memory journal for a child after a pet dies, roughly ages six to twelve. The child fills it in themselves, with a grown-up if they want one. It works for any animal they loved - a dog, a cat, a rabbit, a hamster, a lizard, a bird.
Twenty-four questions, with room for photographs and open space to draw. It asks about the real name and the silly ones, the sounds they made, their spot on the couch, the things they were bad at. Some of the questions might be new ones: what's the worst part, and which things people said didn't help.
One page assures them it was not their fault, because children very often think it was. Another puts relieved on the list of feelings, because after a long illness that one is real and children are ashamed of it.
Pages can stay empty until they are ready to be filled out. This is a journal for them to pour their heart and sadness into.
AT THE BACK, FOUR PAGES FOR THE GROWN-UP: which words to use and which to avoid, what to expect in the first weeks, how to use the journal without taking it over, and when to ask for more help - with current, checked phone numbers.
- 24 written prompts, plus space for photos and drawing
- For ages 6 to 12, and any pet they loved
- 8.5 x 11 inches, with wide lines a child can actually write on
- Four pages of plain guidance for the adult
- Grief and crisis support numbers for the grown-up