End Notes: OK To Grieve For Pets

Q: Our pet parakeet is dying. Our two daughters, ages 13 and 10, are very upset. One constantly cries. The other has withdrawn. How should I handle this pet grief?

A: Grieving a pet is excellent grief “practice” for bigger losses your children will face as they get older, such as their first broken hearts, the death of their grandparents and other loved ones. Your reaction as a parent will set the template for these later losses. EndNotes asked for some guidelines from Robin Prince Monroe, a Greenville, S.C., woman who lost a daughter to leukemia in 1987 and later wrote seven books about grief. She’s also an animal lover. More from Rebecca Nappi/End Notes here.

Question: How long do you grieve for lost pets?