Hi, Kiddies. Today I received a letter from Mrs. Hammond of Houston, Texas.
She writes, "What's the best way to break it to my son that his dog has died? I like to avoid emotional scenes, so I was thinking rather than tell him directly, I'd leave the dog's corpse in his room with a note nailed to it saying, 'I am dead.' That worked when his grandmother died. But he really loved this dog, and I'm not sure this course of action is appropriate this time. I would appreciate any advice you might have."
Mrs. Hammond, I understand your wanting to avoid emotional moments. Sometimes a crying child can be quite off-putting. It all depends on your mood, of course. Is your child in school? If so, you could call the principal's office in the morning, and ask him to inform your son of his dog's demise. If school hasn't started yet, or if you have decided to keep your child from being educated, another option is to send your son to a camp and then notify him by mail. Or send him to stay with relatives and let them notify your son about his dog. But your idea of leaving the dog in his room is a good one, for then he learns about death seemingly on his own. He will come to tell you about the dog, and you can reward him for being so grown-up about it. You might even give him the very adult responsibility of burying the animal. That way you can continue with your crochet or bridge game.
