1. Health

Discuss in my forum

Readers Respond: Explaining Death to Children

Responses: 1

From , former About.com Guide

Updated March 29, 2011

This content is not monitored by About.com's Medical Review Board.
Before acting on this information, check with your health provider.

Many readers wonder how they can explain death to their children. If you have successfully had a discussion about death with your kids, share your tips with other readers!

My Kids Had No Choice!

I'm a hospice nurse, and the guide of this website. Death is discussed openly and frequently in our home. My kids understand that it is a natural part of life and something that will happen to everyone. They sometimes have questions and I try to answer them honestly, keeping the answers appropriate to their developmental stage. We believe in heaven and sometimes talk about what it must be like to have bodies that never get "boo boos" and live where God lives. In fact, my oldest daughter was so excited about heaven that she once expressed how she couldn't wait to die! Then we had to reign it in a bit and talk about the sanctity of life and the wonders and beauty here on earth, LOL! I'm happy my kids feel comfortable talking about death with me and don't have to fear something "taboo".
—Angela_Morrow
  1. About.com
  2. Health
  3. Death and Dying
  4. The Dying Process
  5. Explaining Death to Children - Tips for Talking About and Explaining Death to Children

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.

We comply with the HONcode standard
for trustworthy health
information: verify here.