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How to Write a Eulogy for a 10-Year-Old

Writing a eulogy is an act of loving someone a lot and letting them go a little

Jenny Harrington
Human Parts
Published in
12 min readMay 26, 2022

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Ewan Lill (2009–2018), “Canoe” 2018. Photos: Jenny Harrington

I wish you didn’t need this. You shouldn’t need this. But if you do, I am placing this here for you as a small offering of love. You are not alone. If you are called to write a remembrance for your child, I am with you. You can do this.

A few days after Ewan died, I Googled “how to write a eulogy for an 8-year-old.” Google replied, “About 0 results (0.63 seconds).” I loosened my search to “how to write a eulogy for a child.” The top return, among 7 million, instructed me to do the following:

Step 1: Begin the Writing Process as Soon as You Are Able.

Step 2: Gather Ideas.

Step 3: Research Quotes, Bible Verses, or Poems to Use in the Eulogy.

Step 4: Write, Share, and Rewrite.

Step 5: Practice the Eulogy in Front of a Mirror.

Fuck you. Fuck this, I thought. I don’t want a 5-step formula; I want my child back! This isn’t a research project. This is not a problem with a quick-fix solution, like fixing a leaky faucet, and no way I am going to practice giving a speech about my dead child in front of a mirror. I slammed my laptop shut…

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Jenny Harrington
Human Parts

Author, researcher, mother living on an island near Seattle. Now, notably, an international bunny smuggler. Find her struggles and snuggles at www.teamewan.com