What would you say to a toddler about death?

sflash44 · July 2014

I know they don't understand it but what have or would you say to a child?

TiffanyBerry · July 2014

We've had two friends lose their dogs in the past year. I said that they were sick, in a way the doctors couldn't fix, and it made their bodies stop working, which made them stop breath, which meant they were dead. Well, that's how it ended up after she asked questions about it, and she talks about it from time to time, but I explained that part that way. I did also say that it made our friends sad, because they couldn't be with their dogs again, because I think it's important to discuss the emotional aspect of it as well.

cedenton · July 2014

Depends on the age, but I'd probably get a book. A friend's husband was killed in the line of duty as a police officer recently and I bought her kids some books on death and loss.

sflash44 · July 2014

Do you remember the name of the books? I bought one based on the good reviews but once I got it, it seemed to religious based for a little kid.

foreverapartofme · July 2014

I think explaining that death happens usually when you are too sick that doctor can't make you better. Death is when your body stops working.

heatherwhite1984 · July 2014

read some children's books. here is a few to get you started. check the local libraries too, they are a great resource.

nana upstairs, nana downstairs

thank you, grandpa

when a pet dies

always and forever

annie and the old one

the invisible string

i also use insects. my 2yo loves ants but now is in to stepping on them. i remind him that the ants are now dead and they won't be able to play with their families, eat, laugh or walk again. he now covers them up with leaves.

Xath · July 2014

***loss mentioned***

There are good books to cover most categories for death, for all age groups. When my daughter died, we got the book "We were going to have a baby, but we had an angel instead." Reading the story helped broach the topic and make it presentable. We have a few other childrens' book on death; most have a page in the back with suggestions on how to discuss it with your child depending on age.

cedenton · July 2014

sflash44 the only one I remember is "Sam's dad died". I went in to B&N and basically bought nearly every one they had because her kids range in ages from 4 to 8.

sarahandeddiejune212008 · July 2014

DD#1 (almost 4) started asking lots of questions when she learned the Easter story at school. We explained to her that what happened to Jesus doesn't happen to people any more. We also told her that people die when they get really old and then they go to heaven. She thinks heaven is filled with ice cream and candy (and who am I to tell her any different).

sunnyday016 · July 2014

My grandma died a month ago and we talked about it a lot with DD. She had a lot of questions about death, and so we told her as honestly as possible what happened and why, and where we believe Nonna is now. DS didn't really seem to notice much, even though we brought him to the viewing and the funeral. He saw her in the casket at the viewing and he said "Nonna sleeping", and I did correct him because I don't want him to be afraid to go to sleep. We told him that Nonna was very old and got sick, and now she is in heaven with God.

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