From a reader (emphasis mine):
My youngest (daughter, 8yrs old) has been having a difficult time with the concept of dying for a year or two now. It is especially upsetting her at bedtime when she has those quiet moments of thought to herself prior to falling asleep. I have explained to her that our experience after death is just like it was before our birth — none — so it’s not unpleasant. I’ve also told her that, as we age and our bodies get old and tired and we’ve done all there is to do in life, death will not seem so scary — perhaps even welcomed. But I think these concepts are difficult for her to understand or accept right now. We believe in teaching our children how to think (i.e. critical thinking skills), not what to think — so I’ve even explained to her what other people believe and given her permission to believe in heaven, reincarnation, etc. if she wants to, but she dismisses that fairly quickly.
Her older twin brothers (11 yrs old) went through a similar phase but seemed to get through it more quickly. The best results I’ve had so far is giving her relaxation exercises to use at night to keep her mind focused on more pleasant thoughts. But that feels like avoiding the issue instead of resolving it, so I’m curious if others here can provide suggestions that worked for them. Or is this just an unpleasant phase that she has to think through for herself?
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."