This article provides a few tips and considerations for planning a funeral for a child. Funerals are never easy, but they can be more difficult when the person who died is young. You're likely to have many questions and may not know where to begin when it comes to making funeral arrangements for your child. The following points may serve as a guide during this difficult time, and hopefully, you will find some comfort in the suggestions provided below.
When planning a funeral for a child, you will need to consider the following.
Funeral clothes
Think about the clothing your child will wear at their funeral. You may wish to dress your child in something that they wore often, such as a favourite outfit with a significant design (such as images from your child's favourite book), or you may want to look through your child's drawers and closets to find an outfit that you know was important and meaningful to them.
Viewing the body
Consider whether you want to allow people to view your child's body. You may choose not to have your child's body viewed by those attending their funeral. This decision is entirely up to you and those who were close to your child. It can be comforting for some parents, however, knowing that their child was well-loved and appreciated during their life and that they will be remembered as such after death as well. You should keep in mind that some people may be distressed by the sight of the body.
The wake
Whether or not to have a wake preceding or after the funeral itself is a difficult decision. Some families choose to hold a wake prior to the funeral, in which they gather at the home of the child with loved ones and friends, and some may choose to hold a wake immediately following the funeral. Both of these options can be comforting for grieving families who wish to mourn in some type of group setting with their loved ones.
Transport
Decide whether to hire a hearse and/or limousine service. Perhaps you want your child to be taken away from the funeral home in style. There are no set rules when it comes to choosing a vehicle for the purpose of transporting the body, so you may wish to decorate the car with their favourite cartoon characters to brighten up what will no doubt be a very sad occasion.
For more info, contact a funeral director today.
Share23 June 2021
It's incredibly hard to plan a funeral for teenagers. They should have their whole life ahead of them, and even if they have had a terminal diagnosis, often their parents cannot believe that they could actually be gone. When my niece passed away, I worked with her friends to make sure that the funeral worked for them and gave them a chance to grieve as well. It was great to see how much impact my niece had made on the world in such a short time, with her friends and family coming together to pay tribute to the beautiful young woman she had been. This blog has tips for other people planning funerals for teens.