what age they think would be appropriate for a child to attend a funeral?
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Who’s funeral is it? I think my first funeral I went too, is when I was about 7-8 years old.
Death is a part of life. I say all children are old enough to attend a funeral.
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It’s never not appropriate.
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my kids have gone since birth
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First funeral I went to was my great grandfather at maybe 7 or younger. I remember he was cremated and then putting the urn in the hole and closing the door over it but was never traumatized
I think it should be based on the child’s choice and opinion… obviously when they’re just born they can’t really make a decision but overall I think it should be up to them when they feel comfortable in going
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My daughter went when she was four but was quiet and understood to a point I asked her if she wanted to go it was her uncle I think it depends on the child
I started at 4 when my father died. I didnt understand what was happening. But in my opinion. Its a part of life. Start them early. 
I think it’s your choice only you know your child and how they will respond
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Your child…your choice…common sense…
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I was 5-6 years old that I remember going … I mean if your child is old enough to talk and understand I think it’s a good time to explain what happens in a way they understand
My family has always brought their children regardless of age
Any age. Death is a part of life. Teach them to not fear it.
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I think it depends on the child, do they understand death? Is the funeral for someone they are very close to? There are many factors that come into play here… Its ultimately parents choice if they think their child is ready to attend.
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Any age its important they know the truth and shouldnt be kept from them …
It’s up to you.
I’ve attended funerals at a young age.
My children however do not attend funerals with me, unless its family members.
My daughter was maybe a month old her first funeral. Then when she was 2 was her next one. She is 3 now and understands death and that it’s something that happens to everyone. Sadly my 3 year old has been to more funerals than birthday parties
I’ve lost both my parents, two of my uncles, and both my husbands grandparents all in the short 4 years my son has been alive. I bring him to any funeral I go to. Death is a part of life.
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Took my 7 year old son to his father’s back in August of this year. ONLY because I thought he should be apart of it and didn’t want my son asking me questions when hes older or having hate in his heart and asking me why I never took him! Never expected his dad to leave as soon as he did but he did. Now my son will forever have an angel along with our grandmother we lost in January of 2018! 
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My son was 8 months old when I brought him to one. He was so little he didn’t understand. These days funerals are more celebrations of life so it depends on the environment
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I attended a funeral recently. My 14 year old son was with me. The kids of the man that lost his life, due to a police officer, were all there. The youngest, was three!!
Believe it or not, they understand a lot more than you give them credit for.
Took my oldest to my moms. She was 7.
Depends how close were to the deceased.
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Any age when your comfortable. I went to quite a few funerals as a kid young as 1. Didn’t think of much other than life and death
Its any age in our family, death is a part of life
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Any age in my family. Death is as natural as living.
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This is tricky, I went through this recently with my son. My son is special needs, and his grandmother ( my sons father’s mother ) passed away last year. I felt horrible, but I thought it was in my sons best interest NOT to go ( he was three at the time ) my son does not process emotion well, so seeing everyone sad, just more bad than good would come out of it. Same happened this year, his dad wanted our son to attend a funeral of someone who wasn’t even related to my son…I said no for the same reasons. Use your best judgement, that’s all I can say. Put everything into play with age, special needs if any etc. My son is too young to process emotion still with his special needs and doesn’t understand death…when he better understands, I won’t fear taking him.
To me it depends on how close they were with the person.
I have always taken my kids. I know others that don’t ever take theirs, but it could be more due to the fact of some of the people that come to the funerals we go to than trying to shelter their kids from death. It is all about your personal choice.
I brought my baby she was 9 months she stayed quiet and didn’t disturb anyone and she didn’t know what was going on so I thought it was fine. I was young at my first funeral. I was 6 or 7 I think and it traumatized me. I knew what was going on I remember them telling me and I was sad. But when I saw my great aunt Pam in the casket I screamed. It was horrible. My mama had to carry me out.
We just took my 12 week old to one. His cousins were all there ages 6 months to 5 years old.
An actual funeral I wouldn’t take the kids until they are old enough to stay still and understand what’s going on maybe like 10+
I went to my brothers at 13
I would take kids to funerals of people who are important to them and massive parts of their lives like family and close family friends
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My daughter was 6 when she went to her first funeral that she could remember. It was for her cousin (she was 18/19) that she had only met like once and didn’t remember. She had a lot of questions about it afterwards and we just explained everything straight to her. She has also been to one for my grandpa and one for my husband’s grandpa when she was 2 or 3. She has always been a well behaved kid so she isn’t one to run around screaming or cause a scene.
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My 2 and 3 year old went with me to attend my great grandmother’s funeral. My kids are very well behaved tho so I knew they wouldn’t be running around and being too loud. It gave them a chance to meet family they havent met plus I knew my great grandma loved them and would have wanted them to come. So ultimately to answer your question, if you feel like your child will behave and sit through the service quietly age shouldn’t matter.
My daughter went to her great grandfather’s funeral when she was 3. She was fine.
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Depends who’s funeral it is really. Close family members any age. But less close relatives or friends I wouldn’t pull them out of school or anything unless it was someone kids were close with.
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Depends on the relationship. My 5 year olds favorite person in the world died and he went to hers
I dont think any age is too young. My son went to his first one as a baby and has been to around 9 or 10 and he’s 8 now. I’ve always explained that we are saying our goodbyes to someone that we loved and cared about. I dont even understand the concept of people keeping their children from attending the funeral of a loved one due to age. How can you deny them that ability to say goodbye. Death is a part of life. Nobody is immune to losing loved ones no matter how young.
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Any age. My daughter was 10 months for her 1st
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Any age as long as they aren’t running around and causing disturbances to others… Death is apart of life, we all have questions at any age about it.
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I took my daughter to my Grandma’s funeral at 6 months old back in July. Everyone embraced it. I needed her there, too.
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Children are adults in training. I say they can go.
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I think kids need to learn about death and sorrow, its a fundamental part of life.
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I remember not being allowed at my aunt’s funeral when I was 6 and now I’m 31. I still miss her and wish I could have been there. My mom didn’t think I was old enough and even now she regrets not letting me go
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In my opinion I don’t think they should when they are babies and toddlers
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Death is a part of life. Please don’t try to shelter your kids; instead bring them and prior to—explain age appropriately to them.
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My family it’s any age. Everyone should get to say goodbye especially if they were close
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My son went to his grandfathers so did my daughter 3 years ago.
I couldn’t handle it so we left early. 
I wouldn’t take my child before they understand life & death both.
I feel like it’s confusing for them if you take them too early.
Depends on the relationship to the deceased.
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Even tho it is part of life, that is something I try to sheild my daughter from. Her best friend died and I tokd her, but she did not go with us to the funeral (shes 3) I think the only funeral I will allow would be her parebts of grand parents till she is a teen aged. (Hopefully that dont happen 
)
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I think it depends. My family has suffered a ton of loss. If it is a close family member I think the kids should be there no matter the age. If it isn’t the kids don’t need to go.
My son is 23. He went to my grandpas funeral when he was a toddler. Then my stepdads when he was 5. Then my sisters at 10. My daughters are 8 and 10. They went to my moms when they were 2 and 4. And to my dads at 6 and 8. Then last week the older one and my 2 year old went to one. For a close family friend. My 10 year old wanted to go to be a support to the family. She literally told me I need to be there for them. So she missed school and went.
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Any age my now 3 year old went to a wake when she was 5 weeks
Any age just don’t fill there minds with scary stuff and torture them to be scared of it . Just explain what’s going on and no more questions asked . they should be fine . They need to know it’s not bad and you don’t have to keep them there all the way threw the funeral if it gets to intense then yeah remove them .
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I regretted taking my 2 year old to a funeral. Seriously.
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I’ve only attended 4 funerals in my life. Two as a teenager (my great grandparents who I was very close to), my nephew who was stillborn, and one last year when a good friend lost her grandson to SIDs. There were no young children at my grandparents funerals, but there were kids of all ages at the other two.
It depends on if you think your child can handle it, or if they can be quiet and respectful for the required amount of time. It’d have to be a pretty significant death for me to take my 2 year old.
Every child is different. Ask the child if they want to go. You know your child and what is best for them.
My son was 2 or 3 when I took.him but it.was cause I had no.sitter and he stayed in another room
My children 3 and 4 went to there older brothers funeral and were ok
My son went to one at 10 days old, 6 months and 11 months
Whenever you think they are behaved enough to deal with it. My son had his first funeral at 7 months, my daughter’s first funeral was at 5? I think. Just sit on the end so you can take them out if you need to, and bring snacks and quiet toys/fidgets or a tablet and headphones. And just be honest if they ask questions, and explain what they will see before you go in, and why they will see that.
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I think after age 5. Only because their attention span is very small and can get fussy easy and it can be disrespectful to the family
Whenever they can understand what is happening. It’s different for every child
Our family its any age. It also depends on who, family they all go unless they choose not to if they really didn’t know them and if it’s friends or what not if they didn’t know etc they don’t go
My daughter was 3 when she attended my Mom’s funeral. We told her Grandma went to heaven and she has a new Guardian angel watching over her.
I was 20wks pregnant with my second child and had to bring my first child with me to my uncles funeral and she was only anyway old.
It depends on the child and their relationship to the deceased. My husband went to his fathers funeral at age.5.
My mom remembers forcing herself to cry at funerals as a child. She saw everyone else crying and felt guilty for not crying . It’s weird to bring a child to a funeral unless it’s their own parent or something. Allow them to go to the reception after but not the actual thing. Until they are in middle school and say they want to attend I thinks it’s totally inappropriate.
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By brother died a couple months ago and I didn’t bring my kids, son is 3yrs old and my daughter is 10 months old now. They wouldn’t understand, and they’re too young to sit for that long. I think you shouldn’t shield your kids, but also don’t throw them into a situation that they wouldn’t understand. So really depends on your kids, how well behaved they are, and how much they understand.
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My oldest was 2 and i didnt take her because she absolutely cannot sit still for anything. I think its when they can understand whats going on.
Honestly, I would say it would depend on how close the child was to the person.
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A child passed from suicide, 8 yrs old, hung herself in her closet. Long time ago. My daughter was a classmate. The girl’s mama requested no children at the funeral. I honored her request. My daughter is still angry with me about it to this day. She’s in her late 20s.
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I took my both mine to my mom’s funeral at 5 and 2 she did fine. My youngest did ask when is Nana coming home a lot but I just kept explaining it to her. They are 12 and 9 now and understand death. They still say I miss Nana. So it just depends on how you think your child could handle it.
I didn’t take my 3 year old last month when I went to one I think maybe 5 would be a good age
My daughter was about 6 months old when she went to her first funeral and she was 9 months when she went to a second and was extremely well behaved at both didnt cry or make baby talk until some music came on at the second funeral that she attended
It’s a no no for pregnant women and children under 5 to go to funeral in my culture. Unless it’s like mom or dad I wont take children to funeral
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When they state they want to .
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I don’t think they need to attend. They are children and dony need to go to show their respects or mourn in an adult way. Best they don’t go unless immediate family
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My grandmother passed when I was 10. I attended the wake but not the funeral. I still have never been to a funeral at 27 and I sadly I have had to attend many wakes. Wakes are very different then a burial. It’s up to the parents discretion and I think depends a lot on the relationship of the person who has passed.
I don’t think there is a certain age and age can go
I had my daughters at my grandpa’s showing, and they were just about 2 and a newborn but I didnt bring either to the actual funeral. I wouldn’t unless you had no other choice or if they are older… like atleast 4/5
My daughter was 8 months at her first one, she is now 4.5 and has sadly been to many more but she seems to have a high compression aspect of it now. My son is about to attend his first one for my uncle at 10 months. We were debating on bringing him but my uncle was literally his best friend and we decided we feel it’s only right to do so.
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It depends on the child. Some kids will do just fine an then there are others that this would be traumatic to witness. <3
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My daughter went to my dad’s when she was 2
Depends on the child’s relationship with the person. My first funeral, I was 4, and it was my paternal grandmother’s. My nephew came to my grandfather’s funeral in 2008, and he was around 4-6(foggy time for me) but he knew him and was as close as a child could get to they’re great grandparent. My best friend lost her father suddenly back in March, my daughter was 4 at the time and he was like a father to me but my daughter didn’t go because unfortunately she never got to have a relationship with him, and she wouldn’t fully understand what was happening anyway so there was no point in bringing her and possibly upsetting her over someone she didn’t know.
I’ve attended so many funerals for family members and friends through the years. I’ve took both my sons to everyone sense they were babies. I taught them your not always here for a lifetime. You can be gone in a blink of an eye
If someone does not attend the funeral he or she may not get the closure necessary for dealing with grief. That could cause unnecessary hurt and pain from not being able to properly understand and deal with the issue at hand. I feel it is better for the child to have the closure and someone to talk to about the change than for the child to be in the dark.
I have taken both of my oldest children to viewings and funerals since they were very young. My youngest is 4 months. Unfortunately death is part of life and I dont see why they should be sheltered from this.
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My dad died when my youngest was 2 weeks. I took all 3 of them with me. At the time they were 3, 1& 2 weeks
Um… my daughter was a week old and has been to quite a few in her first year. Death happens and it is okay to have them understand that sometimes people go away and that it’s sad but it’s part of life.
When my grandma passed away we took my boys because they were super close and they were 6 & 4
My son attended his first funeral this year (He’s 3) and I was 4 almost 5 when I went to my first one
My daughter has been to 2 (one when she was 7 months old) the second one when she was 3 and my son was 5 months old when he went to one.
My son st 5 , understood the sense of loss. He took my hand at the service and told me not to worry. He ,at 5 also said we would be alright. 60 yrs later, when things get tough, I think of the one gesture of understanding the way life works.
I think it’s also important to think of those their grieving. While my son (4) wouldn’t be effected by going to funeral he would probably disruptive to those trying to grieve.
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My daughter attended her 1st one when she was 3 (when my grandmother died). Her grandfather died a month earlier but she and I weren’t able to go (only my husband went- his dad’s funeral & burial service were in another state).
My daughter was 1 year and 2 months when she attended her first her. But I would say any age is appreciated just my opinion 
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