SP567-Helping Children and Teens Cope With Death

Have you avoided talking about death with your children because you think they are too young to understand? Sometimes you may just want to shield them from the pain and sorrow caused by death. But today, children may see or hear of incidents of violence that result in death on television; in the newspaper; and even in their own school, neighborhood or home.

Do not try to shield children from death. That deprives children of their own right and need to grieve. The loss of someone or something that we love can be difficult to understand. How adults help a child deal with death depends largely on their own understanding of death and grieving, religious beliefs and the developmental level of the child.