K.B.
I have a friend who is now close to 30 y/o that can not go to funerals still. Her mother did not feel it was appropiate to take to funerals until she was about 10 years old and she couldn't deal with it. We had a very close friend of ours pass, and she literally made herself sick and totally depressed to think about walking into the funeral (even just the mass or prayer service).
I couldnt stand the fact that my son would be so fearful of such an important part of life, moving to the after life. I have been taking him to funerals since he was very young. Each time we discuss a different part of the funeral, or a part more in depth. He is 5 now. He is capable of walking up to the cascit and saying a prayer for the person to have a quick trip to heaven and their family to have a short grieving processed and be able to truely celebrate their loved ones life. We discuss heaven, and the wonderful place it is. I did avoid the grave yard for a few years. I wasn't sure how he would deal with seeing where we put the body. The last funeral we went to he did go to the grave yard, and he was OK with it, BUT it was a closed cascuit funeral. I'm not sure he associated with the body being in it or not.
Our family is close, and grateful that everyone is there to celebrate the life, and know that we are each grieving in our own way.