He died :(
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Topic: He died :(
Posted By: mummy_becks
Subject: He died :(
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 6:15pm
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Andrew's Guinea Pig died about 15 minutes ago Should I tell him that he died or just let him think that it is fine, as I will get the new one tomorrow after I drop him off at kindy??? The reason why he was sick was that they don't produce their own Vit C and I wasn't told that ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Replies:
Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 6:26pm
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oh no! poor little guy. I don't have any words of advice sorry. I had a guinea pig when I was his age and it died and I was told. But I have no recollection of how I took it (wasn't permanently scarred obviously).
That sucks that they didn't tell you about the vit C  -------------  
 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 6:29pm
If there's no way he can find out, then I don't see the harm in "swapping" it tomorrow, but if you get caught, he'll probably never forgive you for it  -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: nictoddie
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 6:40pm
yeah I agree with emma don't tell him if he won't find out  ------------- 
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 7:00pm
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Andrew is in bed now and doesn't usually see the guinea pigs in the morning cos if the morning rush we have here so I think I can get away with it. My parents also said not to tell him and just swap it as it was only 3 weeks old. My dad gave me a hard time too only had it for 3 weeks and good on me it died, but once I explained that the pet shop didn't do their job it was ok, coz the other one is doing really well. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: AliaDawn
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 7:05pm
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I wouldn't tell him - 3 weeks isn't very long, and you don't want him thinking that's the usual for pets etc! -------------  
 
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Posted By: BellaBoo
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 7:10pm
So sorry That is sad.
If it were me then I think I would tell him in a nice way (Eg. Gone to pet heaven) and have a little funeral. Kids quite often handle things better than us adults! It is a reality that all things die and it could be a good way to learn about that. I would rather they first learn about that sort of stuff from a pet rather from a family member etc. JMHO ------------- http://lilypie.com">   http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 7:21pm
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Well he knows - he asked when Henry was and so I had to tell him. I don't think he totally understands as he asked if we can get a new Henry tomorrow. So when the new one is in there tomorrow he won't remember. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: ginger
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 8:16pm
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I think you did the right thing Becks, but I'll bet it was hard! ------------- Cuinn Lachlan 23.1.09 - 22:00 Antonia Helene 4.8.11 - 09:41 |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 8:16pm
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I'm all for introducing kiddos to the concept of death.
They have to find out at some point! Glad Andrew handled it ok 
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Posted By: NeoshasMummy
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 8:31pm
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Well when I was a kid I had a pet chicken, one day I came home and it was gone. My dad told me it had run away so everyday after school I would wait by the gate calling tom the chicken this went on for 3 months. It wasnt until I was 11 that our dog had caught a bird and we were disscussing how gross it was over dinner when my poppa said "thats how poor tom must have felt!) yes the dog had eaten the chicken. I was angry even at that point that the truth wasnt told when I was taught to be so honest, why were adults given the right to lie when I wasnt? what else had they told me that was a lie?. The other stories came out like the golfish that mysteriously changed colours one day! I was 6 and 7 when these things happened but I personally believe that the truth is the way to go. In saying that it would be MUCH harder to do, and these were with pets that I had for a couple of years so maybe in *this* instance just grab another one but in the long run I personally think its better to be honest and let them learn to grieve. I know when this happens to us I wont be finding it so easy ------------- https://secure.fertilityfriend.com/home/30c4ec/" rel="nofollow">  Mrs Te Kani ❤️ Neosha 26/5/2007 |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 9:00pm
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I think Andrew has handled it a lot better than me And yes it was really hard to tell him - I was crying and I don't cry very often - working on that thou with my counciller. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
.Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 13 May 2008 at 9:35pm
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Aw poor guinea pig (and you too Becks)
I remember when my cat died, mum said the SPCA had come and picked him up (after he was run over obviously) and buried him, turned out the place that he'd been hit outside of just threw him in their wheelie bin and he got thrown out with the trash I was 11 when this happened and just found out last year at the age of 21. And I bawled my eyes out. So I definitely think the truth is better, good on you.
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Posted By: Andie
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 8:24am
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Yeah good on you for telling him, Becks. Yay, you!! It's hard, but kids learn about death and grief at some point, and a guinea pig could almost be called a good way to wean him onto the concept. Hugs to you both... he'll be OK even if he does need to feel sad about it for a while. ------------- Andie |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 9:17am
I agree,as much as we would love to protect our kids from any bad things, part of protecting them is by letting them feel the bad stuff too, so they know how to cope with it . I remember when i was four , my dad sat me on the bed and said " i have some bad news sweetheart" I said "is mummy having another baby BOY" (i was still trying to get them to trade in my brother for a doll ) He said "no...Skybird died " "ohhhhh,daddy........" "there there kelly , its ok, it happens, he was old " "yes, but dad......whos skybird?" 
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NeoshasMummy wrote:Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 6:11pm
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So who was Skybird??? I think it set in a little today for Andrew. We buried Henry today and I got Andrew to say goodbye to him. I dug the grave and then I wrapped him in a face cloth. As I was putting the dirt back over he was crying saying I love you Henry - it was so sad and sweet it made me cry He also told his teachers at kindy today what happened and was a little sad there too. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 14 May 2008 at 6:49pm
| Skybird was a budgie |