Pet Loss Counseling for Kids: How Children Think

Video Transcript

"Mom: I'd like to show you a little demonstration about something called concrete thinking skills. And to help you get a better understanding of how children's thinking is a little bit different than adults'. And Bailey here is 6, he'll be 7 in about a month. And Autumn just recently turned 5. Okay, guys, so you see that we've got water in this container and we've got water in this container. Do you think that one has more water or one has less water, or do you think that they're the same? Autumn: That one has more water than that one. Mom: Okay. Why do you think this one has more water? Autumn: 'Cause it's bigger. Mom: What do you think, Bailey? Bailey: They're the same. Mom: The same? Why do you think they're the same? Bailey: Because, it doesn't matter how tall it is. If it was the same size, it would still be the same. Mom: If it was shorter? Bailey: Yeah. Mom: It doesn't matter how tall it is, is that what you're saying? Bailey: No Mom: Okay, well let's try to finish this experiment and let's pour it into the measuring cup. And that's one cup. And that's about one cup. Bailey: Yeah. Mom: So they're the same. So you can see the difference in the way that Bailey and Autumn tried to make a decision is Autumn looked mainly at the height as opposed to looking at the height and the width. My reason for showing you this experiment was to help you get a better understanding and appreciation of how depending on the age of the child, they have a different ability to be able to understand the death of a pet, especially in the sense of the death being permanent and whether or not the pet can come back alive again. Younger children have more of a tendency to engage in what's called magical thinking. And they might believe that because they had a negative thought about the pet, they caused the pet's death. Or if they're good enough or want the pet back enough that the pet will eventually come back alive. So this is just a little illustration to show you how children's thinking, depending on their age, and two years can make a big difference, how they may respond differently to the loss of a pet."