How to Plan for a Child’s Funeral

December 20, 2021 8:32 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

One of the most difficult experiences a parent can go through is having to plan their child’s funeral. The grief of losing a child is unimaginable. How do you find the strength to move on after such a loss—and how do you do the things you need to, like planning the funeral?

If you’re dealing with the loss of a child and struggling to make funeral plans, we’re here to help guide you through the process. While it may feel daunting to undertake such a difficult task at a time of unbearable grieving, the decisions you make will help you and your family start to find closure. Here are the key things to remember when planning for a child’s funeral.

Delegate to others

As you move through this process, give yourself permission to delegate tasks to others so you can focus on what matters most to you: honoring the memory of your child. Grief can be deeply draining, and many tasks involved in this process can exacerbate that. Ask a loved one or your funeral director to send out funeral invitations so the emotional weight of responding to the logistical questions guests may have is kept off your plate.

The funeral service

Choose what type of service you want to hold. There is no right or wrong decision—every family wants something unique and meaningful in this moment. If keeping things small and intimate feels right, planning a private ceremony in your home may be a good choice. If you want to celebrate the life you lost with your family and friends, holding a larger ceremony at the funeral home, a house of worship or another special setting may be a better option.

No matter which route you take, the ceremony can be completely customized to include the traditions, readings or prayers that feel right to your family at this time.

Personal details

An important part of making funeral plans is focusing on ensuring the ceremony is a celebration of every aspect of your child’s life and personality. While it may be emotional to do so, allowing yourself to reflect on the things your child loved and embodied can help you process and grieve this loss. Personal details may include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Burial attire: Many families choose to bury their child in their favorite clothes, be that a special costume, a jersey from their favorite sports team or a particular outfit that made them feel special.
  • Decoration and music: Fill the ceremony with the things your child loved, such as favorite toys, colors, objects or songs.
  • Offerings: Rather than flowers, consider asking loved ones to make a donation to an organization that honors the life or passions of your child. This could be an organization searching for a cure to an illness your child suffered from, an animal shelter if your child was an animal lover or even a community organization that’s meaningful to your family.

Seek support

Losing a child is a terrible tragedy, but with help from the skilled professionals at ICS Cremation & Funeral Home, some of the burdens will be lifted. We will help guide you through planning a thoughtful, personal ceremony that will help all who loved your child begin to heal from this painful loss. Contact us today to start making funeral plans.

Categorised in:

This post was written by Writer

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *