Major Problem!!! Help!!

[Evelle]

hi everyone

so i found my eight year old hamstar dead in the cage.. im so scared to tell her.. she loved that thing sooo much (we have two others but this one was "special")
i dont know what to do i just cant break her heart.. i dont like lieing but what if i go get a new one to put in her cage??? is that compleatly horrable of me???
i dont know what to do!!

i really really dont want her to get heart broken shes sick with the flu today.. im so scared shes going to look in and not see cheese.
im in panic mode
HELP!!!

 

[Avalon1984]

Quote:
Hey Evelle,

I had a lot of animals when I was young and they used to die on me. My parents would just say that the rabbit/hamster/guinea pig/ chicken had died and if I wanted a funeral. This has helped a lot today. Your child may cry but you would also teach it that all life is precious and time is limited. You could tell her that you are very sorry for the loss and have a nice ceremony. When she feels better maybe get a new hamster. It is a tough lesson to learn for every child but it is also a valuable one. Good luck on whatever you decide to do

 

[Linn Bee]

Quote:
You know what to do.

It is sad, but it is also a part of life. I would be more afraid of what I was teaching my daughter by not telling her the truth.

This IS tough for you. You can handle it. Hugs!

Love, Linn B (aka Smart Red) Gardening zone 5a - 4b in south-est, central-est Wisconsin

 

[watchdogps]

I had to read that a few times to get that it was your kids hamster, not an eight year old hamster. I was amazed at an eight yr old hamster. LOL, what a difference an s can make..

anyway, I dont agree with lying to kids about things like that. Death is natural and something they need to learn about anyway. If you try to replace it, and she notices (and she WILL), then she learns about lying instead. She learns that mommy is a liar. I think a lesson in the natural way of things is a far better lesson.

 

[TheJuan-n-Only]

Oh this stinks.....and she is sick on top of it.....but like everyone else said, I would use it as a tool to teach her how to deal with a big loss. I know it may stink now, but she will gain a skill she can use in the future. best of luck!!!

 

[Avalon1984]

hint, hint- I have found from my own experience that guinea pigs live longer than hamsters, but that is just me.

 

[ChickenfootDuckbutt]

she's 8, she's old enough to handle the concept of death.

just tell her, that's all you can do, going out and buying a new one NEVER works, my mother learned that the hard way when she tried to "cleverly" replace my childhood orange goldfish Mr. Smuggles, with a white one -_-

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

Quote:
Hey Evelle,

I had a lot of animals when I was young and they used to die on me. My parents would just say that the rabbit/hamster/guinea pig/ chicken had died and if I wanted a funeral. This has helped a lot today. Your child may cry but you would also teach it that all life is precious and time is limited. You could tell her that you are very sorry for the loss and have a nice ceremony. When she feels better maybe get a new hamster. It is a tough lesson to learn for every child but it is also a valuable one. Good luck on whatever you decide to do

X2
My daughter is 3 years old and knows when an animal dies and goes to heaven. She helped me have funerals for both of the roosters my DH had to shoot due to over aggression. She asked me :Mommie Bobby die?" I told her :Yes baby Bobby went to heaven to be with Jesus." She looked at me and she didnt cry but she said"Awww Bobby die Jesus Mommie." I told her"Yes honey Bobbies with Jesus." She did cry when we were done burying him but not for long.

Now she asks about him ever so often but thats how it works here. I didnt grow up on a farm so I didnt know and it shatters my heart everytime. (I probably cried more than she did. Lol) So i wanted her to learn it early on so maybe it will help her know that not all is forever. To lie to her is teaching her that its ok to lie. My daughter now has a stuffed animal that is a duck that she calls Bobby and he never leaves her side. Every where she goes Bobby is with her.

(Edited for rephrase.

)

 

[Evelle]

thank you every one
lol thank you for your kind words
and sorry about the miss conception of the 8 year old hamster was accually my eight year olds hamster..

my keyboard sometimes sticks.

anyways thank you i think this is more me being a major coward and not wanting my baby to get upset on top of being sick with the flu and in desperation i wanted some advice.
i do know that deciving is wrong and that death is all part of owning pets.. and its not like she hasnt seen death before.. we butcher our chickens and she helps pluck and skin them. shes stand out with my husband when our goat and pigs where shot and cleaned.. she herself has even killed (on accident) one of her pullets.

i just need to buck up and tell her.. im prob. making it a bigger deal then she will (possably

)
this was her hamster...... alright well here i go thank you!!

 

[Mother_Hen2011]

Good Luck hun!