I have 2 daughters 6 and 11. My 11 year old daughter went to an infants wake when she was 9 and a friend of her's died in a car accident and she went to that wake when she was 10. She is very mature and wanted to go. She also said it was for support, and I'm sure it was, but it was also the curiousity. I personaly talk to my girls about death and other issues. I am in poor health and if something ever happens to me I want them to truely understand, and I don't want my wake to be there first. If she feels she needs to go then I would say let her, it may help her understand the pain her friend is going thru and of course it will upset her, make her cry, maybe even ask lots of ?'s, and maybe even a few restless nights, but if it didn't affect her then you would have something to worry about. It is natural not to like funerals and death but at some point they have to deal with it so why not now while you are there with her to hold and comfort her. Her friend at some point is also going to tell her things about the wake and the images she tries to picture may be more scarey than seeing it for herself.
What ever you decide she will be fine... |