It’s important that you teach your children that death is merely an aspect of life, and help them become comfortable with the topic.
One of the best things you can do to prepare your children for the prospect of a death is to talk about it with them ahead of time.
Your approach to the subject may vary a little depending on your spiritual beliefs. Some cultures actually embrace the subject of death and see it as an opportunity for re-birth and new life.
It is important that you consider your spiritual and emotional beliefs about death and come to fully embrace them before approaching the topic with your children.
This will help you facilitate a more impacting and clear cut conversation when the time arises to talk about death and dying.
Here are some suggestions for broaching the topic with your children:
Talk With Your Children About the Cycle of Life – Consider discussing death with them at a time that you can naturally incorporate it into part of your conversation. Consider for example when the leaves change colors in the fall, and then die off only to grow back in the spring. Remember to keep things light and easy initially, offering your children ample opportunities to ask questions.
Acknowledge Your Own Feelings – In order for your children to accept death you must first come to terms with it. Children are very sensitive and likely to pick up on your emotional cues about death and dying, thus if you are uncomfortable with the subject they are likely to be too. Take some time to examine your own feelings and become comfortable with the subject before broaching it with your children.
Be Open and Honest About Feelings – Many parents have a natural instinct to shield their children from the grief associated with death, but this can actually be damaging. It is important that you allow your children to understand that death can be sad, and let them know that you are sad if it happens. It is important that children learn to express themselves openly and honesty and learn how to release their emotions when necessary.
Remember when teaching children about death and dying that their initial reactions may be very different from what you would expect.
Rather than focusing on the spiritual or emotional aspects of death they may want to know more about the technicalities, such as how someone is buried and where they go.
Remember that this is perfectly normal. Address each question honestly and age appropriately when they surface, and your children will come to have a healthy understanding of the death and dying process.
