How To Help Your Children Understand Death

Most children live in an idyllic world of saturday cartoons and the loving care of their parents. Unfortuantely, there comes a time when a child will experience death for the first time and it becomes the responsibility of parents to educate their young children on the subject of death and dying...

Most children do experience death in one form or another during their childhood, be it losing a pet, a family member, or something else.

1. Make Your Discussion Easy To Understand

Don't avoid talking about death with your children, nor should you explain it in such a way that would instill a fear of death. Most children, however, have never seen a real dead body or have had a lengthy discussion with their parents about what, if anything, happens after we die.

2. Strategies For Talking About Death

Explaining an idea such as death is different from explaining something physical that your children are able to see, taste or touch. Try and explain things from the simplest level you can. If you wish, you can use this as an opportune time to go over the other big talk you will need to have with your children.

3. Essential Tips For Helping Children Through Loss

- Children sometimes ask when they will be able to see their loved one again
- No matter how small your childs pet be sure to give a proper funeral
- Often, children will express themselves through actions rather than words
- Never mislead children by telling them the deceased will come back
- Encourage children to share their feelings

Most importantly it is critical that you keep talking to your child. Keep the lines of communication open by asking them how they are feeling. Sometimes children will have nightmares about death or losing someone and it's important to talk through these dreams. Some children try to hide their confusion and sadness, and it's important to see beyond the surface and get them to open up to you. Just because they are children does not mean that they don't feel things deeply. If a child keeps their pain and confusion bottled up, it will come back to haunt them in later years.

4. Inform Children At An Early Age

Children should be given ample time to mull over the concepts of life and death in their minds. Do not wait until their pet dies in order to explain the subjects of death and dying to your children. Although death is a certainty of life, your children should not have to be scared or confused because of it.