What to say when a young child asks about death?

Today we are featuring two excellent posts from the parenting blog, The Longest Shortest Time.

In the August 1 post, Hillary shares her four-year old daughter’s ideas and drawings about death. The post also includes the short video of a child named Anna that has gone viral. The questions, drawings and video are perfect examples of how children under five can become obsessed with questions about life and death – questions adults can’t always answer with certainty.

To get some help Hillary interviewed grief counselor Joseph Primo, author of What Do We Tell the Children? Talking to Kids about Death and Dying. Primo is a worthy guide and wisely urges parents to listen to their child’s ideas, respond honestly and admit when they don’t have the answer.

 

Might be worth saving the Primo interview for future reference.

I encourage you to read both posts:

Aug 1, 2014 – Do we become houses? + more 4-year old ideas about death

http://longestshortesttime.com/2014/08/01/do-we-become-houses-more-4-year-old-ideas-on-death/

 

Aug 4, 2014 – A Grief Counselor on Talking to Young Children about Death

http://longestshortesttime.com/2014/08/04/a-grief-counselor-on-talking-to-young-children-about-death/