Because thinking is literal and concrete, death may be best explained in physical terms, such as, “His heart stopped beating, and no one can make it start. Because of that we won’t be seeing him move or talk any more. We will bury his body in the ground, because he is not able to do or say anything anymore.” For children raised in traditions that believe in an afterlife, concepts such as Heaven may be difficult for them to grasp. They will see a discrepancy between burial of the body and the description of “going home” or “going to Heaven.” While the young child probably can- not grasp the concept, you might address the distinction, as “The part that we loved, the part that smiled, laughed, and loved us, is the part that has gone to Heaven. The body that doesn’t work anymore is what is now in the ground.” For example if a child is told that a loved one has gone home, or gone away, they often think that person can come back, or that the place they have gone is somewhere the child can go as well. A child will primarily feel extreme and long last- ing sadness for the loss of significant others, such as a parent, grandparent, or sibling. The sadness may stem from feelings of abandon- ment. The child may conclude that their loved one departed because he/she was bad. A child’s view of morality at this age is that bad behaviors are punished and good behaviors are rewarded. It may be helpful to point out that the loved one did not choose to die, that someone’s bad behavior caused the death. Be considerate of religious beliefs when talking about the concept of heaven and death.
6
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease