Helping Your Children Accept the Death of a Grandparent

Grandma Died
Where’s Grandma….Never Forget….Help Hold The Memories 

Helping your children understand what happened to their grandparents can be a bit challenging as kids have a difficult time comprehending the idea of death or the fact that they will never see someone again. At the same time, kids are very tuned to their parent’s feelings, and they can easily tell when something is not right. It is very likely that your children understand that something has happened and will keep asking questions about it. It is important that you stay focused on addressing the issue.

Grandpa DiedGrandparents are very important people in every child’s life. They keep wishing that they can be around them again. No one wants to watch their children going through the pain of facing the loss of death. Everyone intends to help guide the child in understanding what has happened and it is important to know the best ways to accomplish that.

Grandparents can relate well with their grandchildren, and the children enjoy it without the kind of pressure that they get from parents. It is a special relationship that no child wants to lose. At times parents may feel resentment that their children are getting more attention from their grandparents than they recall receiving as kids but need to appreciate what the grandparents have to offer their children.

My Other Gramps

In today’s world children may have multiple sets of parents and grandparents and this kind of diversity can be enriching to everyone if the grandparents lead their grandchildren and accept their lifestyles. However, as families move on with life, some things are inevitable like illness and death. When death happens, as parents it is your role to let the children know what is going on with their grandparents. What parents typically fail to understand is that the truth is less scary than their children’s imaginations. They should not be left out during the grieving process. Let them express their feelings.

It is essential to prepare the kids for funerals and other related rituals in advance both mentally and emotionally. This will benefit them as talking about the lost grandparent at the funeral or paying tribute to them is very helpful. As adults you may wish to continue celebrating the memories of the deceased by maybe planting a tree. You can then tell the children to tend to it so that they can keep the memories close. Below are steps that you can follow in letting the children understand about their grandparent’s death:

  • Avoid trying to use an analogy to make the children feel better. As stated earlier, the truth is less scary than the child’s imaginations. Thus avoid beating around the bush trying to hide the truth from them as it could create more questions for them. By telling them that the grandparent is sleeping, they may start wondering when they are going to wake up.
  • Give them a role. Giving your children an active role can help the child to master strange emotional situation during the funeral service. You can let them sing a song or a poem but give the child a choice to decide if they want to participate.
  • Clarify that they are not coming back. This will eliminate the day to day questions of when is grandpa coming back or I am going to ask grandma to take me on a trip once she is back. Let the children understand that they will not be seeing the deceased grandparent again. Tell them which changes to expect without the presence of the grandparents.
  • Be intelligent and ready to answer their many questions. Don’t lose your temper or show them that you are avoiding their questions. Be bold enough to face them and explain everything in a way that they can understand. It is true adults can get tired of being asked questions by their children as they feel like the queries are irrelevant. The best thing to do is include them in the grieving process.
  • Allow the child to attend the funeral events like the viewing of the body and the memorial services. Tell them what to expect and how to respond to visitors who give their condolences and remind them to be strong. Also, explain about the burial procedure. You can use phrases like ‘there will be a burial at the cemetery where grandpa’s body will be buried underground in a casket, and people might cry since it is a time to say goodbye.’ This will keep them prepared for any unusual things they are likely to witness in the ceremony.
  • Finally, do not hide your tears from them and stop pretending that everything is alright when around them. They should be aware that death is a normal thing and that it will happen to everyone. Let them see that it is okay to mourn the loss of a loved one and that they should express their feelings freely. Talk about your feelings with them so that they can feel comfortable talking about their own feelings as well. You can use phrases like “I know that you are sad and that you miss grandpa, and I am too. We all loved him very much.”

After preparing them mentally, the other thing you need is to find wise and comforting words that help them feel that their grandparents are still with them. Make them feel that although they are invisible, their spirits are still very alive. Use simple terms to avoid making statements that might give conflicting messages to them. Also, allow them time for grief. The child may be going through frustration, sadness or anger after receiving the bad news. Depending on a child’s emotions, others may take more time to heal. Do not rush your children, instead offer your assistance in letting them express their feelings and support them no matter how long it takes. Let the child understand that it is okay to feel what they are feeling and if you feel that the child needs some extra help, you can consider seeking assistance from a therapist to help them cope with the difficult situation.

Never Forget…

Grandparents are and will always remain in our hearts. Let’s make the memories valuable and treasure them forever. Help the children to remember the person. You can tell the kids to have drawings of the grandparents and write what they miss and loved most about them, and that they can hang the picture at their favorite spot somewhere they can look at when they miss them. Remembering the happy moments will help to minimize the grief and activate more positive feelings.

Cremation Urns Made of Wood Are Naturally Beautiful

Fisherman Wooden UrnWooden cremation urns are timeless pieces made from classic materials that are versatile to not only the style and taste of the deceased but also yourself. Most of our wooden urns are handcrafted by skilled artisans in the United States using high-quality solid woods, making them the best wood urns available anywhere that also support our local economies.

Our craftsmen use beautiful solid woods including cherry, oak, maple, and walnut that display individual character through the grains unique to each wood, providing not only a beautiful vessel for your loved one’s ashes but decor that fits in with your home.

Rose Inlay Urn
Several Wood Types Are Inlayed Into Roses

The natural wooden urns available at Cremation Solutions (Click Here) surpasses what you will find anywhere else, with exquisite selections that speak to lovers of nature, spirituality, simplicity, timeless classics and contemporary pieces. From intricately designed wooden inlays and laser engravings of calming landscapes and nature’s beauty to amazingly unique wooden urns featuring functional birdhouse memorials, a special piece designed specifically for equestrian lovers and customizable hats in the country western, outback, and derby styles. Additionally, Cremation Solutions offers engraving services to add a touch of personalization or epitaph to many of our wooden urns, as well as the option to add a personalized engraved brass nameplate.

Gazing upon landscapes is a serene experience that brings tranquility to our minds, a welcome respite to our grieving minds. Our outdoor themed urns serve as a gentle reminder to imagine those landscapes of peace in times of need. Some of the intricate outdoor scenes you will find include coastlines and beaches, howling desert wolves, farm and country lands, and various outdoor recreations such as one of our most popular urns featuring a fisherman on a boat catching a bass.

Much of our collection features intricate outdoor scenes using the arts of marquetry and laser etching. Marquetry is the ancient art of inlaying small pieces of exotic hardwood to create exquisite wood art and combined with laser engraving, produces an even more dramatic, 3D-like effect. Browse our selection of marquetry designed wooden urns to get an idea of just how beautifully detailed the artwork is.

Our New “LGBT” One Love Urn

We understand that grieving the loss of a loved one is a stressful time, and choosing the right urn can be a difficult and overwhelming process. Hopefully, the information below will better help you on your journey to finding the perfect wood urn to protect your loved one’s ashes through the ages while serving as a loving sentiment for yourself.

A hardy material sustainable through recycling, wood connects us with our ancestors and the natural land they cultivated and harvested. The skillful art of woodworking has been used in a variety of decorations and useful items by early humans for thousands of years. Keeping in tune with the tradition of woodworking and the importance of the great outdoors, you will find unique wooden urns crafted with laser-assisted engravings and inlaid wood. These techniques create three-dimensional art depicting many different scenes including outdoor adventures, nature, religion, and more.

Gazing upon landscapes is a serene experience that brings tranquility to our minds, a welcome respite to our grieving minds. Our outdoor themed urns serve as a gentle reminder to imagine those landscapes of peace in times of need. Some of the intricate outdoor scenes you will find include coastlines and beaches, howling desert wolves, farm and country lands, and various outdoor recreations such as one of our most popular urns featuring a fisherman on a boat catching a bass.

If you’re looking more specifically for an animal or flower themed urn to represent your loved ones interests, we have a wide selection of feathery bird friends and enchanting butterflies, serene aquatic life and lively land animals, to various flowers and beautifully simple plain wood. Almost all of these wood urns are beautifully handcrafted using marquetry and laser etching techniques to artfully depict numerous nature scenes.

Wooden Clock Urn
Clock Urns Blend in To Your Decor

Time heals all wounds, says the age-old advice. With each day that goes by, it will become easier to adjust to the loss of our loved one. Our mantel clock wooden urns serve as a gentle reminder to that testament. Built with battery operated, fully functional Quartz clocks, these wooden urns come in a variety of styles with some featuring an hourly chime and the option to fit temporary plastic urn containers or an upgradeable bronze box insert for your loved one’s ashes.

Remembering your faith can be particularly helpful in times of mourning. Find peace and comfort in one of our religious inspired urns that feature blessing and calming scriptural scenes. You’ll find a beautiful assortment of intricately detailed laser-cut and wood inlay designs in our wooden cremation urn collection. From the “The Lord is My Shepherd” scene and an “Our Lady of Guadalupe” silhouette to more simple but elegant classic and serenity style crosses, the Star of David, praying hands, and guardian angels. The sophisticated woodwork and calming religious scenes on our urns will bring comfort to you when it’s needed the most in your time of grieving.

Birdhouse Urns
Add Your Own Photo

Exceptionally unique, our Birdsong Urns are a natural and green way to go back to the earth and continue the cycle of life while honoring your loved one. Constructed with sustainable recycled mango wood and designed with two purposes in mind, the Birdsong Urn first holds your loved one’s ashes on display in a beautifully handcrafted birdhouse. After you are ready to spread the ashes back to the earth, the urn can then be used as a birdhouse memorial for many years to come. As birds come and go with the seasons to build their nest and raise their young, the cycle of life continues. The dense tropical wood used to construct the Birdsong urns provides a long lasting earth friendly home for our wide variety of our feathered friends.

Whether you are looking for a wood cremation urn for a loved one who has passed away that enjoyed fishing or hunting for big game, walking the sandy beaches, gazing upon serene landscapes, praising the Lord or just the great outdoors in general, we are confident you will find a unique cremation urn in our collection that connects you and your loved one to past times that brought joy and comfort to your lives. See our Full Selections of Wood Urns (HERE)