Explaining general death questionsto four year olds?
My boys have suddenly been asking more questions about death...they watched Charlotte's Web the other day at Grandma's and it has sparked so many questions!
Today they asked: What does kill mean? What is dead? Where is heaven? How do you get there? When will they go there? When will daddy go there?
And on and on....I am trying to answer in simplistic, realistic terms without scaring them or opening up even more questions. We're only marginally religious, so I'm sort of confused on this one.
Anonymous2006-08-12T11:14:52Z
Favorite Answer
Answer their questions simply, in a straightforward manner, and in a way that is acceptable to your beliefs and values. Often the questions they are asking are probably just asking for basic superficial information, and not in-depth understanding.
If you are close to a large bookstore, check out their shelves for a book for children on the topic. Here are links to some excellent children's books on death and dying.
till young infants are approximately 5 or 6 years previous, their view of the international is extremely literal. So clarify the death in person-friendly and urban words. If the family individuals member substitute into sick or elderly, as an occasion, you will possibly clarify that the guy's physique wasn't working anymore and the docs could no longer restore it. If somebody dies unexpectedly, like in an twist of destiny, you will possibly clarify what handed off — that because of this very unhappy adventure, the guy's physique stopped working. you are able to could clarify that "death" or "lifeless" skill that the physique stopped working. young infants this youthful in many cases have a annoying time information that each and everybody human beings and dwelling issues ultimately die, and that that is totally final and that they won't come back. So even once you have defined this, young infants might proceed to ask the place the family individuals member is or while the guy is returning. As complicated as that's greater often than not, proceed to gently reiterate that the guy has died and can't come back. dodge applying euphemisms, which contain telling young infants that the family individuals member "went away" or "went to sleep" or maybe that your loved ones "lost" the guy. because of the fact youthful young infants think of so actually, such words might inadvertently lead them to afraid to circulate to sleep or apprehensive on each and every occasion somebody is going away.
I'm sure you've handled it well and answered their questions. A lot of times kids that age aren't looking for in depth answers, just some sort of idea to answer their curiosity.
Check out this website that gives you more information on how to talk to your preschoolers about death and answering their curious questions.