How do I gently let my kids know that their hamster died when they were at their dads? they are 5 and 8 and they loved that hamster so much…i am heartbroken that they are going to know what it feels like to lose something so young…
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How do I explain to my kids their hamster died?
Honest and open. Explain to them it’s part of life. Explain your beliefs about death. This is not easy but it’s necessary
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Can you not replace it before they see that it is missing? We did this with my daughters Fish when she was younger. We went to Petsmart and found an identical one.
Edited to add: we did this because it was nothing she did to cause it to die. I cleaned the tank and somehow shocked it and it passed.
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Just tell them lol…death is a part of life and u cant hide that from children
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Tell them it was very sick and has gone to the vet and it may not come home !
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Play the circle of life song from the lion king 2
Tell the kids the hamster’s parents got divorced because the hamster wasn’t a good kid and the other hamster parent got full custody.
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This is the perfect age for them to learn about death. Better now with a hamster or a fish than 5 yrs from now by losing a close family member. Just be straightforward and honest with them. Follow their lead, meet them where they’re at with it and don’t blow it out of proportion for them. You’ll be surprised at how resilient kids are.
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The kids are kind of young still. Maybe just say that it’s friends/family helped it escape so it could be with them? It got outside somehow? Leave a note? Idk. I would wait until they are a little older. Especially the younger one to discuss death and the circle of life. Protect their little hearts as long as you can.
Coming from a mom who had to explain to my 4 year old that his daddy passed on… I know it’s different because it’s an animal but our kids love their little creatures a lot and why break their hearts at this age.
The hamster wanted to be with it’s friends and family. Period.
On a side note. I suggest guinea pigs. 2 because they are animals that need companionship. They are super cool and are easier to keep alive 
I’m not on that . Although I did have a huge fight with my hubby over 8 hamsters that was bought for his daughter , she kept killing them . Super twisted . She’d literally let them die of hunger and dehydration ( she lived with her mother ) . He should have caught on after the second . Thank his he did though .
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Buy them a new one, they’ll never know.
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why kids kitten “11 months “ old died a few days ago very suddenly to heart failure . my kids 7, 10
the only way to do it is with honesty .
we are so quick to underestimate our kids ability to understand , we focus on death as being such a negative thing. but it’s something that just happens explain it in a kid friendly way 
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Unfortunately you’ll have to sit and have a conversation with the children.
Explain that when people and animals get old their bodies don’t work the same so they go to sleep and the souls go into the sky.
When my eldest was 3years old we lost our dog and I explained that the brightest star in the sky was her watching over him.
He sat at his window for months every night but it helped him and he always said goodnight to her.
They was best friends and I couldn’t hide the fact the dog was no longer with us.
We also lost a hamster after having her 6years.
It’s upsetting.
You’ll get tears and lots of emotions from the children especially if they loved the hamster but been honest without mentioning the word death is the best way.
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Have a funeral to bury them and have each child speak about his/her loving memories of their special pets. If they are already buried, have a little memorial service. It will help bring them closure.
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Tell them straight, mr/miss hamster went to animal heaven and explain in an age appropriate manner of how life cycles work. This year I had to tell my daughter her great nanna passed away and now she knows when you die you go to heaven and wait patiently for family to come when it’s their time to go to heaven.
Get a nice box and a soft piece of cloth. Dig a hole in the backyard before the kids get back. Get a small bunch of flowers. When the kids get home, tell them the hamster lived a very good life but passed away while they were away. Show them the hamster in the box. Take them to the backyard with the box. Put the box in the ground. Ask them to tell what their favorite moment was with the hamster. Ask them if they want to say goodbye to the hamster. Cover the box with soil and ask if they want to help. Give them some of the flowers to put over the hamster’s grave.
Really, there isn’t much you can do but make their grief over this death as normal an event as you can, something to not shy away from, letting them know that when they are sad that their hamster is no longer with them that thinking of happy times with the hamster can ease the empty feeling they have over his death.
There are other comments and suggestions. My suggestion is more along the lines that everything and everyone eventually dies but our lives are richer by having had Mr. Hamster in our life and our memories of Mr. Hamster will live on in our hearts even when we can’t hold him anymore.
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My nephew is 5 and he knew about death since before he was 3 when his mom died (she over dosed) he was in bed with her when it happened and so he has known a long time about it and I’m not forcing religion on anyone but we told him she was with Jesus and shortly after that my fiancé died so when that happened he said Scott and mommy are with Jesus
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Make sure that it is not hibernating before you get rid of it. Put it in a warm place
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We had a big red rooster a hawk killed it feathers everywhere.i told my grandson the rooster must have ran off and found a girlfriend.of course the neighbors down t he rd has chickens and once in awhile he hears a rooster crow thinking it’s his.
As much as it sucks, this is one of the reasons owning pets as a kid is so important. It gives us a softer introduction to that part of life and helps prepare us for bigger losses when we’re older.
The best approach is to just be honest, but gentle; Their hamster’s time with them is over, and it’s gone to the next adventure/heaven etc.
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My daughter is 7 in November… we have had about 8 animals die in her lofe each time I have never hid it or lied. It’s not a sad occasion it’s a celebration of thier life. It’s really quite easy and yes they will be a little upset but at the end of the day mumma that is life in a nutshell. I’d say this… " guys I have some really bad news… your little (insert name) has passed away which means he or she isn’t going to wake up. I know its a really sad time so lets make a really pretty box to send it away in to go to hampster heaven" . I’d even let them help bury it. My daughter although she gets sad she understands now, that in life will always come death. It’s the memories we have that keeps things living truly. They will be ok and next time a family pet dies it will be alot easier on them.
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Honestly you’ll prob be more shaken up by it than they will be, kids that age bounce back pretty quickly.
I’ve always just been honest with my kids🤷🏻♀️
Replace it before they notice
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Be sure it actually passed away first. Hamsters can go into hibernation.
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Let them know that the pet passed away, and have a little memorial service for the pet. You can place it in a shoe box, or if the pet is already disposed of, just remember the good times, and offer to get another animal (such as another hamster or something else that fits your lifestyle) and let them be part of the process in picking out something new.
Please make sure it’s not hibernating!!! Move it somewhere warmer (but not hot) than 75°F for 24 hours. If it’s still not moving, it’s actually dead.
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I’ve learned to not use the words dead or died
I don’t know your beliefs
But I use the terms
“Went to heaven”
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Always tell kids the truth
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I’d be honest cause its not going to be the last. Some animals or people you cannot replace it’s part of life. You can put him in a shoe box with his favorite thing and bury him in your yard.
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i would just say that animals and people die for many reasons, in this case it was xyz… would you like to do something nice for the hamster and bury it?
i remember our rabbits dying when we were pretty young, and a few guinea pigs. we always knew they died. and we actually buried our rabbits in the back garden.
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Just get another one
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I replaced a hermit crab before and she never knew…
l Get paid over $121 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $15427 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
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Just be honest. Every living thing eventually dies and it’s sadly something we have to accept and mourn no matter family, friend or pet. Good luck and sorry for the loss of their fur friend. 
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Not sure I’ve normally been upfront and honest yet gentlemen. Maybe explain Hamsters don’t live that long. I takes only a few years for hamsters to reach the end of thier life cycle
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Whoa !!! I never knew this until recently but hamsters hibernate like other animals . You think they are dead and nope they just in a deep sleep . Make absolutely sure it’s dead . But otherwise just tell them death is part of life .
Be truthful. Use gentle words, and ask if they’d like to get another one. It’s all the cycle of life.
Life cycle explain it to them
Replace it. They’ll never know 
We talk about life cycles.
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No be honest and tell them. It’s OK for children to grieve, it’s healthy!
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Don’t try to replace it. There is a good chance they’ll notice. When I was a kid I notice right away when my fish was a different fish. 
Just be honest.
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l Get paid over $121 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $15427 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
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Kayla Thornton is right, I replaced my daughter’s hamster and she didn’t know. I think 5 is a little young to understand. However some kids are more mature and can deal with things better than others so it’s your call Momma.
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I told my daughter her hamster got out and ran away. She still grieved, in her own way.
Be truthful don’t replace it
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Be honest, explain these things happen.
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Just be honest. Every living thing dies and pets don’t usually live as long as people.
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Make SURE it’s dead first. I know that sounds nuts but if their environment is too cold (even air conditioning can do this)… it can cause them to go into hibernation. They get stiff and cold but not actually dead. If it turns out it really is dead, you can look up life expectancy rates of hamsters and explain the circle of life. Death is part of the experience of life. I’ve got a 7&8 year old and we have experienced dog loss, we hunt, we fish, we have lost family members starting when they were much smaller. You got this!
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Honestly, just tell them. I don’t mean to sound cold at all, but its better that they learn about death from their pet than a loved one. It’s super sad and I’m sorry your littles are going to be heartbroken. But this is a learning opportunity for you both.
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Living on a farm my kids habe seen quiet a bit of death. They’ve learned to understand that that is just apart of life. When an animal dies, they are apart of the burial ceremony. When my son’s dog died ( he was 4at the time) we all participated in getting his bed ready in the ground. We gave him a bed of leaves and pine needles, he put a toy car of his in with Rex so rex could take it with him to the next life. We believe in next lives. Well now whenever we see a black and blue butterfly he says rex is here. That makes him happy. They have helped turn rex’s barial spot into a beautiful wildflower garden and we all thank Rex for the life he brings to that spot in the yard.
If you explain and don’t hide it, have them be apart of it and give them seeds to put there so they can watch the flowers thrive you’d be surprised at how understanding kids are and accepting they are when it comes to death.
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Unfortunately we had to put a dog down last week while my son was at his dads house. He was an older dog and it was his time, I just explained to him that he was in a better place and no longer in pain. And my son who is 4, looked at me and said “mom it’s okay, he will be with us again one day”
I was so nervous about how he would react and he honestly took it better than I did. We looked at pictures and talked about how amazing our dog was.
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My 3 year old doesnt completely understand but I’ve told him that bugs are dead or his great grandma passed away. He understands that means they don’t move/aren’t around… Ive explained different animals live shorter/longer periods. He doesn’t have the full concept but it also hasn’t traumatized him either
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Straight saying: sorry for your lost. We have to build stronger kids!
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Circle of life. Celebrate the life hamster spent with your family. Allow them their feelings.
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I feel like replacing the hamster is nonchalantly lying to your kids. You can’t protect them from life. It’s going to happen. I would be honest with your kids. I mean, you’d be upset if your kids lied to you, correct? So, be honest and let them grieve. And then, take them to the pet store and let them pick out another one.
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I’d be matter of fact. It’s better they learn about death now with a hamster than in adulthood with a human.
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Your mark as a parent is to teach your children how to survive in the world without you. Part of that is learning about death and how to handle it. You got this momma!
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Easy, get a new one lol.
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Don’t tell them replace it.
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I would just say gently that hamsters only live a couple of years and that their time with us is very special. My daughter has autism and it was important that she knew about life expectancy of her pet. We had a bunny before that lived 7 yrs before he got sick but I wanted to make sure she didn’t have unrealistic expectations with a smaller animal. Just let them know he lived a good life and he knew he was loved and that’s all a pet can ask for in this life. When they are ready you can get a new one. I usually take some time between animals just to properly clean things and sort of process the loss before we go look at new friends to adopt. Have a mini funeral or memorial for the hamster and let your kids write or say something nice about him.
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If you’re not ready to explain death you could say it ran away… I don’t think you should explain death to like a toddler. But if they’re old enough to kinda comprehend what it means then I’d explain it to them that it passed away.
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Explain to them the process of all living things they eventually die use a plant as reference explain that the animal was born then it lived a happy beautiful life with them and for unknown reasons it passed away while they where gone. This is why we really thought so hard about getting pets for are kids but it happens it’s a normal thing
But did it die or did it go in hibernation mode and you tossed it out thinking it was dead, did you check for a pulse 
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I would explain they are so tiny and don’t live very long. When they are ready tell them we can get another one that they can love
Be happy they will learn the lesson of death with a hamster instead of a close relative at such a young age.
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I’d just replace it 
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l Get paid over $124 per hour working from home. l never thought I’d be able to do it but my buddy makes over $15859 a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The possibility with this is endless.
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My almost 4 year old has helped me bury 2 fish and I’ve always told him if his bugs have died and I don’t think he gets it completely. He does keep asking if it’s forever and I’m not sure he quite grasps what forever means either.
I think 5 and 8 is an appropriate age to start filling them in gently about this🕊
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They would be sad but I would explain the death to them. If you lie they would never believe you again when something or somebody passes away. They’re both old enough to know death
I told my 2 and 3 gear old what happened to theirs. They were upset yes but now they’re 3 and 4 and understand what death means
As a mom of 4 boys. 7,5,4 and 2. We had a cat died due to old age. We told them he went to kitty heaven. To be with people( their great grandpa died 2 years before and a couple other family members as well) that loved all of them so much and they will take care of him. And make sure he is loved. And they find comfort in that.
Honestly just explain the lifespan of a hamster, tell them both they can help you pick a new one and give it a special name. 
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Just be honest with them tell them it’s part of life and even though it’s sad those things happen but they can bury it if they want to and make cards for it
I mean just tell the truth
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A lot of people don’t know that if a hamster gets too cold they hibernate and appear dead. So if you just found it stiff in its cage try warming it up cause it might not be dead.
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Please make sure it isn’t hibernating before you bury it.
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My kids hamster escaped once and the dog ate it not even a month after the other one died and she was alive 2 years. I couldnt bring myself to tell my kids. We just moved there was alot happening. So i wrote a letter from the hamster to them put her paw (what was left anyway) in black ink and signed it from her and said she moved to Texas. Im an awful mom. I just couldnt tell them. I couldnt tell you what to do. Go with your heart.
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I would get a kids book on death and read it to them when they returned and then break the news that just like in the story the hamster is now gone. It’s the circle of life.
When our dog passed I took my kids outside. Pointed at the sky, and told them where Lily is. They were confused of course on why Lily was up there. I said she wasn’t feeling good, she hurt and we knew if she was with God she would be better, so God asked us if he could take her and we told him Yes. She’s really happy up there and can run with other dogs now, of course gets her favorite treats as well. Sometimes, even though it’s really hard and it SUCKS to have to let pets, people, go be with God, it is better for them.
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Huh? You’re kids don’t understand death? How? Why keep that from them? You are concerned for their feelings TOO MUCH if you are willing to deprive them of basic life experiences.
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You brought tears to my eyes - you are such a good parents❤️
My daughter wanted a hamster . Had to let her know that hamsters can die for no reason. Hamster f are a great way to introduce how short life can be
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I had to tell my 6 & 8 yr old.that their favorite dog died while they were at their Dad’s, and I was straight with them… I don’t sugar coat it. I called them over said I have some very sad news, I said I was sorry but K passed in his sleep while you were away and I let them know he didn’t suffer and that we can visit him whenever at his grave where we buried him… they were sad but understood that he died and it wasn’t something we could’ve prevented.
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You just tell them.
Death is inevitable and a part of life.
They will be fine.
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Well…I’ll be the oddball and say just get another hamster that looks exactly like it before they get home…Let kids be innocent and kids for as long as possible. Plenty of time for them to learn about death and stuff later. Too many trying to make kids mature too soon these days. Teaching them about death early in life isnt going to make them smarter amd a future doctor or anything. No reason to toss it on them that early in life.
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Off subject are you sure it had passed… I seen a thing recently that said hamsters go into hibernation and appear to be passed however they are not may be something to research a little if u have not dealt with the hamster already
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You just tell them and then get them another one
A conversation I’m dreading … Guinea pigs don’t have a long life span and we’ve had our a bit now & I know it’s coming… my daughters are 8&15…
Going through this myself! I found it easier to just be straight up. Just be honest. Make it a casual conversation and then provide an outlet…like drop the bomb and then go to the park or something. Don’t have a long serious sit down conversation.
Get another identical looking one.
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You got to make sure he’s actually dead, in hibernation they appear dead. Put it under something warm.
Why don’t you just tell the truth
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I lost. My dad at age 12. They must learn about death. Maybe get another one if they ask!
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