Walter the Hamster Dies

Kate's hamster, Walter, died this week. Rachel and I found him in the cage. We were really sad. We didn't tell Kate right away because it was already bed time and the next day we were all going to be running around a lot. I wanted to tell her when we'd have time to sit and talk about the news without feeling rushed.

So, I told Kate today. This was our conversation:

Me: Kate, I have some bad news to tell you.

Kate: Some bad news and some good news?

Me: No. Only bad news this time. Walter died.

Kate: For real?

Me: Yes. I'm really sorry. He was a good Hamster.

Kate: I love it when he runs on his wheel and looks at me with his cute face.

Me: He was really cute when he did that. I'm going to miss seeing him.

Kate: Can we have a funeral?

Me: Yes. This afternoon we can bury him in the back yard.

Kate: Under a tree, so he won't get too hot?

Me: Yes.

Kate: Can I put the box in?

Me: Yes.

Kate was quiet for a minute and then: Walter died and now he gets to have babies!

(Kate has been very interested in Walter having a baby ever since she got him in June. We've explained that he's a boy and can't have babies, but it was a constant speculation on her part that he might.)

Me: No. When animals die, they can't have babies. Boy hamsters never have babies, but girl hamsters don't have babies after they die.

Kate: Now Walter can't do anything except be dead.

Me: Yes. But, we can remember all the fun things he used to do.

Kate: He didn't even make it to his birthday. He died while he was still a baby.

After that we read part of a book I borrowed from preschool called Lifetimes: The beautiful way to explain death to children, by Bryan Mellonie and Robert Ingpen. It's a really good book. Kate liked it, but got restless mid-way through.

This afternoon we buried Walter. Kate picked out a good spot under a tree and we put a big rock by his grave to mark the spot.