The death of a loved one is difficult for anyone. But for children, such a loss can be devastating.
Many parents wait until a death occurs to work with their children on dealing with the idea of death. But that can be especially difficult if the parents are dealing with grief themselves. Taking time to reflect on your beliefs about death and your experiences with it, and then sharing those with your children helps them prepare for loss when it eventually happens, according to the National Mental Health Association (NMHA).
Children deal with death in many different ways, and not necessarily in the same manner as adults. Preschoolers have difficulty understanding that death isn't temporary, but children between the ages of about 5 and 9 years begin to experience grief more like adults.