Hello!

How do I help my 5 year old deal with the emotions of loss?  My daughter is 5 and has recently come to understand the nature of death. I am wondering how other mothers have helped their children deal with this issue? At the moment my daughter is in tears nearly every night at sleep time as she can’t stop thinking about the fact that ‘everyone’ dies. What have you told your children to help them deal with their emotions?

Posted by anon,8/10/13

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  • I think it’s normal for kids to have some fears. I would start with using the death of innocent things that die and won’t have so much effect on emotions, like a plant that dies when it doesn’t get enough water, a dead bug, a fly or a mosquito you may even want to kill. We had many small pet burials in our garden, plenty of rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, chickens. It helps to make the kids part of this and in the meantime enjoy the animals when they’re alive.


  • Hopefully you found a way by now. I am sorry that your child suffered like that, My lot have taken death as an everyday thing knowing that there something better to go to. No not religion but an idea that they can speak to the person/thing and realise while the thoughts are there, they are still with us.


  • Hope your girl has moved on a bit for this, for us it was watching the lion king that helped


  • you have to tell her the good things … like they are at peace and resting and in no pain.


  • what did you end up doing


  • there are some good comments here


  • How is she going now?


  • Maybe a counsellor might have some better strategies…?


  • Lion King – Circle of Life. Might be a good time to watch it.


  • How is she now? Did any advice help?


  • how did it go? i hope she is ok?


  • It is hard. How did you go?


  • I can sympathise, my son gets upset all the time about dying even dying old. I try to tell him to enjoy life and it is still a long way away from him.


  • How did you go? What did you end up doing?


  • Tell them the truth, they need to learn and greave like everyone else


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