Protecting your child and others seems to make a lot of sense. However, in many cases, keeping a kid from attending an event could actually do more harm than good.   

Take funerals and memorials, for example. The memorialization process is very important for mourning and dealing with grief in a healthy and constructive way. This is true for kids just as it is true for adults. Children who don’t get the chance to say goodbye to a loved one at a funeral might feel resentment that they missed out, might not get the closure they need to heal and grieve in a healthy way, and might even develop untrue and scary scenarios in their minds about death because they weren’t exposed to the truth.   

In fact, experts say that children should have a say in the matter of whether or not they should attend any kind of event. Ask your child if he wants to go to the event and make every effort to respect his choice. In order to make sure his choice is informed, give him plenty of information about what he will see and experience at the event. Talk about the event details like who will be there; what will happen throughout the day and the event itself, from eating and drinking to sitting still during the event; where the event will take place, and even why the event will happen in the first place.   

Go into as much detail as you feel necessary, especially when it comes to the step-by-step description of the event to dispel any anxiety or untrue ideas your child may have. If he has questions, do your best to answer thoroughly but simply, sticking to the basics and remaining honest.   

If your child chooses to go to the event, take care to explain that he isn’t expected to feel any certain way. Depending on what the event is, some people might be crying or very sad, and that’s OK. Others might be dancing or partying! And that’s OK, too. He can cry or be sad, or express however he’s feeling in a respectful way. Finally, let your child participate as much or as little as he wants, whether that means sitting quietly during the event, choosing photos for a collage, coloring a picture to put up as decoration, or lighting a candle during the event.   

It’s possible and very OK to bring your child to an event when it’s appropriate. Want to learn more about Mission, TX event centers or event tips? Memorial Event Center is here to help! We have years of event planning and hosting experience that we would love to put at your disposal. Please stop by or call us today for more information.