Loved One Lost: How to Teach Children about Life and Death

Losing a loved one is usually very difficult situation to deal with, but how do you explain it to a child? It may be a tough task but it must be done eventually. Here are a few different ways to teach children about life and death. Explain with Religious Beliefs All religions and lifestyles have concepts of what happens after you die. If that concept is nothingness, reincarnation, the concept of heaven, or any other similar beliefs, having a casual conversation about what happens when a person stops living can be beneficial to both you and the child. Give them time to process the concept and answer all of their questions before they connect it to a person they know. Explain the Family Tree Starting with the child, go through each generation showing pictures and explaining each relationship until you arrive at a family member who has passed away. You can use the previous method of using religious beliefs to explain why the person is no longer present inside of that body while showing them an urn and explaining the need for cremation or burial will be helpful in making them understand. Some companies, like Cremation Solutions, know that this can help children know that this is a part of life, and it’s nothing to be scared of. They’ll be simultaneously learning about their family’s history as well. Experience Death through Movies This could possibly the easiest way to teach a child about death. Animated movies are designed to keep a child’s attention and deliver the storyline in a way that they can understand. As we all know, Disney movies like The Lion King are notorious for killing off characters. Although this may sound harsh, many children learn about death through watching these movies. When a character dies, children will be able to experience mourning. Attend a Funeral or Wake Because this method is intense, the decision to use it should only be made by the parent or guardian, preferably after doing one of the first three suggestions. Seeing a person that they once knew in a casket makes it exceedingly clear that the person is no longer who they used to be. It will require guidance because people often use the word resting when referring to the loved one. Be sure to provide comfort and clarity in this situation. Depending on the age and mental state of the child, some of these options can be severely traumatizing. Always handle these situations with caution. A combination of these techniques will ensure that your children can understand life and death.