Should You Bring A Child To A Jewish Funeral?

As a parent, you want nothing but the best for your child. While it would be nice to be able to protect them from every hurt the world can throw at them, that’s not reality. At some point, a family member is going to die and you are going to have to decide whether or not to take them to the Jewish funeral home in Edison, NJ for the final services. Here are some tips and some questions to ask to help you make that decision.

There Are No Set Rules

There are no set rules or regulations as to whether or not you can or should bring your child to the funeral service. As their parent, you know them best and you are going to have to make that decision. There’s no age range that is accepted and there’s no guideline to tell you whether or not it’s a good idea. You have to decide and it can be a tough choice to make.

How Mature Is Your Child?

You will want to think about not only the age of your child, but their level of maturity. For example, an 8-year-old could be mature enough to understand what death means, but that concept also could be over their head. IT depends on their maturity. You also need to consider other elements, but the level of maturity your child has at whatever age they are can be something that will help you figure out if they are better off at home, or if they should come along.

Does Your Child Know The Person Who Died?

If it was a friend of yours who died and your friend didn’t really have any contact with them, that’s different than the child’s grandparent dying. If your child knew the person who passed on and was close with them, they might be grieving as well. It makes more sense for you to take them to the funeral for their sake than it would if you took them to a funeral for someone they didn’t know and won’t miss.

Would They Handle Sitting Still Well?

If you go to synagogue services regularly, you know how well your child can sit still—or not. If they endure the services well and are good about acting properly and sitting nicely, going to a funeral shouldn’t be a big deal for them. It’s not too different length-wise and you can trust that they would be okay. If you have a more active child on your hand that struggles with those elements, that’s something to consider as you don’t want to disrupt anyone around you.

Can You Prepare Them In Time?

Funerals generally happen within a few days and you will want some time to prepare your child for what they are going to experience. That can take longer with some children than others so you will want to see what you can do there before deciding if you should take them to the Jewish funeral home in Edison, NJ for final services.