Upon the demise of loved children tend to feel and show grief in many different ways. How they cope and come to reality depends on factors like their age, how close they were to the person who has passed away and they support they received from him or her. Explaining death to toddlers and preschooler can be quite challenging especially if you are also grieving yourself but openly speaking about this things together can help them know what’s happening and cope with grief and start the journey of recovery after the loss.
Infants and toddlers may not quite understand death, for example, its implications and permanence, but they can be aware of the feelings of the elder people around them. The changes in the routine after death may affect them or interrupt their schedule, for example, funeral arrangements and new faces around them.
It is advisable to break the news to them when you feel comfortable and not when overwhelmed with your grief. Use simple, direct and clear words when explaining to them. Show some care, listen and comfort them. Kids react differently when they learn about the death of their loved ones, some cry; some ask questions while others may seem unreactive. Providing comfort to the infant or toddler is encouraged by engaging in an activity like playing, cooking or walk around after breaking the news to them. This will help in comforting them.
Preschoolers might be a little bit aware of death since they hear about it in fairy tales and watch it on television. Some might have experience death through loss of a pet or a family member. When explaining deaths to preschooler try to be brief and use simple answers and expect any reaction from them. Express your grief with them and try to show them that grownups also feel sad but do not do it off limits. Try your best to get the preschoolers back to normal life by not abandoning the schedule which anchored their life and provide them some sense of security.
During the period of grief maintain support to infants, toddlers and preschoolers by a family get together: the more supported the family feels the better the family will be able to show that support to the young children.
