Losing a parent is one of the most devastating situations a person will ever face. However, an only child with only one parent may find the situation even worse. No matter what the age of the child – whether young or an adult – the grief can transform into a depression that may last for years. As a result, cremation may be a good choice for those in this situation.
Grief Can Easily Become Depression
A child who suddenly loses a parent may find that their grief is very staggering and hard to overcome. This situation is particularly rough if the child has no siblings and few other family members. In this scenario, the parent may have been their only emotional connection. Without them, they may feel alone in the world in a way that can cause a large amount of isolation, agitation, and grief.
Unfortunately, this type of emotion can linger for a long time in a child's life. They may grow into a teen and an adult with a powerful sense of loss that they cannot manage. As a result, it is likely necessary for them to find a way of grieving that creates a stronger sense of connection with the lost parent. For example, a cremation may help to give a child an easier path to proper grief management.
How Cremation Helps
Cremation may help in this situation because it gives the grieving child a memento of their passed loved one. The ashes and the urn are a direct connection to the parent and the past, giving the child a way to remember their parent in a more physical way. Being able to see the urn – and even talk to it as if it were the parent – may give some children relief from grief and depression.
Cremation has other benefits, as well, such as a somewhat lower price than funerals that may make it easier for a grieving child to manage. And even if the costs are being managed by the parent's estate, the lower price still helps the child by leaving them more money after their parent has passed. And while money does not take the place of a deceased loved one, it can help support the child in tough times.
The urn with their parent's ashes can be possessed for decades and may become a family heirloom with a heavy level of emotional meaning. All of these benefits make cremation a good choice for an only child who wants to keep the memory of their passed parent alive as long as possible.
To learn more, contact a funeral home that offers cremation services.