Children are aware of death from an early age as they see dead animals on the street or in the garden and hear about it in stories. Death is a part of everyday life, so don’t be surprised if your little one suddenly starts asking questions about it.
By the time they reach about six years of age your little one is likely to understand that death is final and may actually be quite frightened which could be where their curiosity stems from.
How you explain it to them largely depends on their age and their maturity. However, don’t hide death from them by ignoring their questions as this will just leave them even more confused and frightened. While there are no perfect answers, make sure you factor in the age of the child before you try to answer their questions and try to keep explanations as simple and as truthful as possible.
You may feel uncomfortable with some of their questions, especially if you are not sure how to answer them, but try to be as honest as possible. You will not have all the answers and If you are not sure about something be honest and tell them - kids are aware when their parents lie and it will just create a sense of unease. Avoid telling your little one that the person who has died is sleeping or resting in peace. They won’t fully understand what you mean and are likely to expect the person to come back. They may also become frightened to go to bed and go to sleep.
How you answer questions about what happens after life really depends on your beliefs. However, make sure you think really carefully about what you are going to say as it may confuse your child further.
It is important that you don’t overload them with too much information. Give them what they need to answer their questions and as they grow up you can explain things further.
Just because you answer their questions once doesn’t mean they cop up again. Death can be a complicated and scary thing for child so they may not fully understand it the first or even second time you explain it to them. Understanding death can be hard even for an adult to comprehend, so you can imagine what it is like for a child.
