Talking About Death To Preschoolers

Talking About Death To Preschoolers

• When talking about death tell children the truth. They need to talk about death, what happens when people die and why they die.
• Each family has different views on death but a common belief is that if a person can't live in their body any more, they leave it. That might be because:
  • the body is very old
  • the person is so sick that nothing can be done to make them better
  • the body wasn't made properly (in the case of the death of a baby).
• Sometimes there isn't a reason which can be provided about death.
• Preschoolers understand more than they can say. When someone has died, parents should try to explain calmly what is going on.
• Three to five year olds may want to know what happens to a body in the grave and the whole process of dying. They may imagine how a person died and this is natural curiosity.
• Adults need to think carefully about what they say and how they act toward a child after a death. Children need to be with family and can feel punished if they are sent away.
• You help your children cope with death when you:
  • answer questions and concerns calmly and truthfully
  • explain that all people and animals die eventually
  • explain that death is a natural end of life
  • talk about what people believe happens after death
  • allow children to have pets
  • allow children to see and hear how adults express grief
  • help them express their feelings
  • talk about how your lives will go on.
• For further information contact the National Association for Loss and Grief.

Parenting tips & parenting articles copyright & courtesy
Department for Community Devlp, Australia.

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