Speaking with a Child About Death
If you have had a death in the family, you will need to let your child know and this can be difficult. Here are some things to remember as you start panning.
It is always difficult to let a child know that someone they love has died. This is something that parents fear to have to do. If that is what you are going through now and you are not sure how to begin to have this conversation, you will want to consider a few things. Providers of cremation services in Wilmington, DE have some suggestions that can help you let your child know what has happened.
The best thing that you can do, both for your child and for yourself, is to let them know the truth from the start. Use simple language that does not have euphemisms like “passing away”. You do not want to confuse your child and that can happen if you are not careful with what you say. Keep the wording simple so that your child can understand from the start what has happened.
You also want to ensure that you allow your child to ask questions. Some parents are afraid of doing this since they fear not having the answers. It is important to let the child know if you do not have an answer for something but that you will also do your best to find it out for them. You want to be honest with the answers you offer here, too, since they can make a difference to the child.
You will want to include them in the plans for services. You want to ask them if they want to attend or not, but you can still let them know what is being planned for the person. By including your child, they will feel that they are not alone and that they are part of a community that is also dealing with the loss.
Offer your child affection and comfort. Read their body language to see if they want to be hugged or not, but do your best to let the child know that you are there for them and that they can tell you exactly what they are going through. Encourage them to share what they feel so that they know they can speak about the loss without fear.
All of these things can help you have a healthy conversation about the death of a loved one with your child. Take the time to let your child know what happened in simple terms and let them ask as many questions as they need. You do not want to feel like they have to share what they are going through if they do not want to, but you do not want them to have to worry about feeling alone with their grief. To help you with this kind of conversation, you want to reach out to a Wilmington, DE cremation service provider like us at Bennie Smith Funeral Home. We are ready to help you with all of the funerary questions you may have. Give us a call right now or stop by one of our locations right now.
