Ways You Can Involve Children in Funeral Service

Funeral services often bring families together, and a Charleston, WV funeral home can certainly help you to plan a fitting final send-off. But even with all the help you’ll receive, you and your family will need to make decisions as to how the funeral service will be laid out. When engaged in the planning stages, don’t forget to get children in the family involved. It can sometimes seem like a good idea to let the adults handle things while the children sit quietly in their seats and observe. But what you should do is find ways to get kids involved in the event. Don’t forget that they will grieve a loss in their own way. So they should be afforded the chance to take part in an event that will crystalize in their young minds that a loved one is no more.

Here are some recommendations to help you decide what specific responsibilities you can assign to children in your family.

Ushers

Regardless of where you opt to have the funeral service, you will probably want to have ushers on duty. Ushers are typically tasked with helping people to find seats. This is an especially important role if there are lots of people expected to attend the funeral service. Are the children in your family old enough to be tasked with this responsibility? It’s best to have a group of them work together while under the supervision of an adult who can keep an eye on things.

Musicians

You can ask the children in your family to play songs on their instruments. If there are numerous youngsters who play different instruments, it might be a good idea to have them form a band. They can play before the funeral takes place, during the ceremony, and even at the reception if there will be a meal afterward. And don’t forget the talented vocalists. Is there a song that the deceased had loved to belt out? You might consider asking a child to deliver a rendition.

Speakers

Children who were particularly close to the deceased may very well want to get up front and share something from the heart. It might be a story about a trip they took together, a tidbit about a birthday party that the deceased had attended, or something else. If the child needs some moral support when up speaking in front of others, a family member should go up with them.

These are just some of the things that children might want to do during a funeral service. Sure, some of them might be too young and others might prefer one role over another. The important thing is that you include as many young and willing participants as you can in the event.

If you’re looking for a reputable funeral home in Charleston, WV, look no further than Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home & Crematorium. We not only serve the community, but also live in the community. We’ll treat you like family and give you the same support and consideration that we ourselves would like if facing similar circumstances. Give us a call at (304) 342-8135 or visit us at 1118 Virginia St E Charleston, WV 25301 for the expert assistance you require.