Wwyd?

[BeachBum]

So today we were working the garden having a grand time. The kids found this really large snail and were playing with him. They set him on top of the raised garden bed.
A bit later, DS (age 6) was walking balancing on top of the garden bed, stumbled and stepped on the snail. (After we had told him not to walk up there, unrelated to the snail).

The snails shell broke and he was totally squashed. It was absolutely and accident.

DS was hysterical/ devastated crying unconsolably.

How do you handle a situation that like?
Do you pretend like the snail might be ok? do you reenforce that DSs actions killed the snail? do you admit the snail is dead, and try to comfort DS?

[JBaxter]

I do the snail is dead he cant live without his shell and squashed. Sometimes our actions have results we did not want but they did happen because we didnt listen. Try to do better next time. Leave it at that.

[lhafer]

Would comfort DS, but yes, the snail is dead. Actions have consequences...even accidents. It's a tough lesson to learn, no matter what your age.

[hillview]

Poor DS. I would say "Oh poor snail, that was a total accident. Let's put him near his leaf." I would not go into if he is dead or not unless DS asked. If DS asked if he was ok or dead, I'd tell him that the snail is dead and that it was a total accident. I would ask him how he felt and we'd talk about that feeling for a little while. Then maybe we would bury him or go get an ice cream.
/hillary

[Uno-Mom]

Aw, poor kid. It reminds me of the Simpson's episode where Bart kills the baby bird's mom. (Although that wasn't totally an accident.)

I'd be honest. And depending on the age of the child and their personality, I might end up doing a little snail burial service.

[DietCokeLover]

I would comfort him and say the we knew it was an accident, but that yes the snail is dead. At 6 yo, he's old enough to get that actions have consequences, even if not intentional.

But, I would have definitely loved on him a good bit.

[ThreeofUs]

I'm pretty matter-of-fact about things like this, so I would be upfront (but kind) about the snail being dead and why. I would be very loving and comforting, but ITA with pps: kids have to learn that their actions can have tragic consequences, and that it's very important to be careful of other beings and of how we use our bodies.

[TwinFoxes]

I'm pretty matter-of-fact about things like this, so I would be upfront (but kind) about the snail being dead and why. I would be very loving and comforting, but ITA with pps: kids have to learn that their actions can have tragic consequences, and that it's very important to be careful of other beings and of how we use our bodies.

Except inside I'd be really sad for the snail. I can't imagine pretending it was alive though, I can't believe a 6 year old would buy it. I probably wouldn't give a burial, because that seems to be making a bigger deal than need be, and might make a DC more upset, but I guess I can see how some kids would benefit.

[sarahsthreads]

I'm pretty matter-of-fact about things like this, so I would be upfront (but kind) about the snail being dead and why. I would be very loving and comforting, but ITA with pps: kids have to learn that their actions can have tragic consequences, and that it's very important to be careful of other beings and of how we use our bodies.

Yeah, I wouldn't lie about it - I know my 6-nearly-7 year old DD has a decent grasp on the concept of death and would feel absolutely terrible about accidentally killing a snail, but I wouldn't try to brush off that the snail was dead. I also know she'd realize that her actions directly caused the snail to die, so I wouldn't reinforce it. (Telling him not walk on the bed was unrelated to the snail, right? So I wouldn't connect them in that way.) I expect I'd mostly be doing a whole lot of comforting.

I'm sorry your little guy had that happen, and that he was so sad about it.

Sarah