[SingleMama2B]

Hi Karen... sorry sooo late on the response, but just saw the posting... First.... soooo very sorry for the loss of your friend. At such a young age, it is so heart breaking

On you final decision not to take and expose the children to this, I truly think was the best idea! Another poster said that exposure at a younger age is good as they will handle death as an adult better... this may be the case with alot of people, but I AM NOT ONE OF THEM!! I was exposed to several deaths, including my dear sweet Grandfather's at the age of 7.5! Granted, my Mother and Grandmother did not help the situation, by MAKING me kiss his hand in the coffin. I idolized my Grandfather (as my mother was a single mother), and also other deaths where you did visitations for several days, and then the service and internment, and our family would always stay until the coffin was in lowered into the ground. Also, our family beleive in Open Casket Viewings...... To this day (and I'm 44 years old), I can NOT attend open casket viewings, and I will leave before the casket is lowered into the ground. Yes, this is extreme, and as an Adult, I should be able to handle these events, but I CANNOT!!!

My Mother now apologizes for demanding me to do this at age 7.5. With our children, this would be/is an emotional trauma that would possibly evoke horrid memories, or things that they may have witnessed or been told of, which of course they could not fully understand then.

Bravo Mom!!! There will be plenty of these very sad events through thier life time.... glad you gave them this break

Blessings.................