don't know about the question of making a child attend. I personally would not force my child to do that. If they were friends and had a relationship with this person, I would ask how they feel about going to the funeral. There are other factors to consider, like the relationship with your child and how it might influence them. Having an open conversation is important. You can ask your child how they feel about this person's completed suicide and what it’s like for them as a peer.
We want to give language to difficult experiences rather than ignore them. I want my child to know they can come and talk to me at any time. Suicidal thoughts among youth have gone up significantly, so it’s important to discuss how a peer’s suicide affects them. Open conversations deepen relationships and allow emotional understanding, rather than living on the surface.
We need to improve as a culture in having emotional conversations, even when they are hard. Leaning into these conversations makes us stronger. Ask your child how they are making sense of the suicide and share your feelings too. Encourage them to come to you if they have similar thoughts so you can work through it together.
Ultimately, rather than focusing on making a child attend a funeral, the priority is the conversation, understanding, and support between parent and child. As a parent, you also need to process and make sense of it so you can discuss it openly with your child.
