So I'm feeling a bit lost.
My family are in town (they live interstate) and are saying 'this will be the last time you will see your grandma alive, she has given up on life' and my partners grandfather just had a pretty serious illness and his mother is quite worried she won't see him alive again (she also live interstate) so that's at least 2 close family members that may be lost very soon. I've never really had to deal with death and I have 3 small children. I'm not sure how to feel or what to say. My eldest child is 8 and I think she deserves to know what's going on rather than to spring 'grandma or grandpa is dead' is dead on her. I just don't know what to say or do.
Grandparent death
Grandparent death
Posted in:
Loss & Grief
4 Replies
Tell her in an appropriate way. My partners family just lost their nan and his cousins 6 and 9 were told nan is very sick, and were told along the journey. Its hard for the younger kids but they deserve to know
Love to you and your families
I think there are some children's books around. Your local library might have a few. Keep it simple and once you've had a chat about it don't keep rehashing. Let them come to you about it and just let them know what's happening as or when it happens.
I told my kids that every new baby needs a gradean angel so my nan volunteered to be one :)
You will probably be surprised at how well they take it, just explain the basic facts of life and death and whatever you believe or want them to believe. I tell mine that the persons body is broken but their soul has gone to 'the stars'. Then you can take them outside and point to a star and say goodnight to grandma (kind of nice for grownups too!) don't wait until it happens and u are emotional, they will pick up on your feelings, start now and explain they are sick and might go to the stars soon, or get a kids book that explains it and read it to them a couple of times before it happens. Death is just a part of life and if u tell them in a calm and factual way they will be fine. It's our cultural association and emotions that make us struggle. I also tell them that people in the stars are special angels looking after us and we can talk to them anytime we want to or feel sad. It's kind of nice when u think about it that way : )