How Can I Explain The Concept of Death to my Children?

Explaining somber and serious topics like death to young kids isn’t easy. Most parents and guardians prefer avoiding these discussions as much as they can. 

Some Tips To Follow

We at Nutmeg State Cremation Society, have some tips to help you get through these types of conversations and ensure that your kids understand it well.

1. Use Precise And Simple Terminology

When explaining death, most adults use non-specific descriptions and terms and this doesn’t help children understand the concept of death. It’s common to hear adults say to a child that has just lost his or her grandparent- “your grandmother has turned into a star in the sky” or “your grandmother is in a deep sleep forever.”

These types of explanations can confuse a child and it can give them a warped idea about death and what happens after a person dies. What many adults don’t realize is that kids have the ability to understand these concepts much better than they believe. It’s best to use simple terms and explain things as they are without upsetting the child too much.

2. Use Unemotional Methods Of Explaining Death

It becomes easier to explain death to a young child when there is no emotional involvement. They can understand and accept the fact better when you keep emotions out of the equation and explain that the person has died.

3. Keep the Conversation Channels Open

Children are inherently curious beings and have several questions regarding life and death. As an adult responsible for their wellbeing, you must be patient and provide them simple answers. They should know that they can count on you for the things they need to understand. This approach will help to make them emotionally stable in the long term.

Have any questions about organizing a funeral or want to book funeral services? Contact Nutmeg State Cremation Society; we offer start-to-end cremation services and can help you with all aspects of this process.