Should children attend funerals?

Whether or not a child should attend a funeral is a personal decision to be made with the child. If the child was close to the deceased it is fine for the child to attend if he or she feels comfortable doing so. The best thing to do is to talk to the child about how they are feeling and answer their questions about what a funeral is and what will happen there. If the child is old enough leave the decision up to them. If the child is younger they may not fully understand what is happening and may not benefit from attendance.