Our daughter had a good sized goldfish, named Goldie, that lived for about 4 1/2 years. Goldie passed on a stormy afternoon and our daughter was adamantly opposed to a Swirly Burial at Sea, she wanted Goldie buried next to the cat in the yard. She met her father at the door when he got home with garden trowel, umbrella, and Goldie entombed in a plastic sandwich bag insisting that Goldie have a real funeral. My husband, good Daddy that he is, without changing out of his suit and tie went out with our daughter to bury the fish. When he asked if I was coming, I said I thought I would say my goodbyes from the breakfast room but would watch the proceedings from the window. He is a good daddy. :)
He certainly is a good dad. Kids remember this stuff, maybe it might be years and years, into their adulthood, so they can feel some empathy for their own offspring, when the time comes.