Dealing With Children and Cremation

As in any death situation, it is important for the children involved to have a caring adult available to them; someone there to listen and to try to answer the children's questions. Some basic cremation terminology also is needed: Cremated remains or ashes - The dead body is reduced to cremated remains after the cremation process.



Cremation - Cremation is the process of reducing the dead body by heat into small pieces of bone and ash. Crematory - A special building where bodies are cremated. Dead - A person is dead or has died when their body stops functioning (total cessation of metabolic activity). The body no longer feels heat, cold or pain. Funeral - A funeral is a service similar to a church service where family and friends come to share memories about the one who died and to say good-bye to that special person. Funeral Home/Mortuary - a building or house where the body can be taken after death to be prepared for burial or cremation. A funeral home/mortuary is a caring place where family and friends can possibly view the body and gather to remember the person who died.

Children should be considered in the service selection process. Whatever option is decided upon it is important for the children to be invited to participate. Always keep in mind that a child's involvement should never be forced; that children should be allowed to make their own decisions whether or not to participate.

A final consideration is memorialization. When children are involved, some families have found it helpful to select a permanent area for memorialization of the cremated remains. This area can provide a place for the children to identify with their deceased loved one in a tangible and concrete way.