Explaining the Concept of Death to Children

Death is a practical normal thing that happens every day in the world. To the adults, it’s easy to understand it despite the fact that it can cause extreme grief and emotional pain. Children, on the other hand, depending on age, have different perspectives of death and so it would be nice if adults can elaborate the occurrence and let them understand that death is permanent, natural and normal in life.

Let them know the Truth and the Truth Only

Death is final, irreversible and it is common to all living things, so when it occurs, people have to accept. Some people make a mistake and tell children that so and so have gone to sleep, have passed away or has departed. Using such phrases could get misinterpreted by kids, and you might find them asking about their loved ones the next day. Children especially school going children are intelligent, and they know when something is wrong so giving them clarifications would be like teaching them how life is all about. It is better to stress them with the truth than to comfort them with lies. Make them have a good perspective about death and its effects.

Make Sure that You Communicate Earlier

Don’t wait until they have seen the casket then break the news to them, prepare them early by telling them what happened. Let them understand the cause of death, what happened before their loved one died and why he or she will not wake up again. Be open about your emotions and reassure them that you and they will be fine. Don’t start playing mind games with the kids trying to hide the truth from them. Tell them about what sickness is and let them know that when people get sick, they might die.

Where there is Life, there is Death

Know how to talk to them; they might have dilemmas why their loved one had to die and not somebody else. Kids are very bright when it comes to unclear circumstances in their lives. It is you to tell them that whoever breathes must die because at one point, everyone who breathes will stop breathing. Make them understand that all people cannot die at once, but when the time comes for someone to die, he or she must die. If you don’t tell them that, they could regard death as a deliberate humiliation imposed to them which is not right at all. Hold true to your feelings; don’t hide your tears and grief so that it sticks to their memories that death is accompanied by grief. This way, you would be making them know that death is not good.