Death of a Loved One

Dealing with the death of a loved one is very hard, but trying to explain it to a child can be even harder. My grandpa passed away last Friday, my children knew their great-grandpa very well, he was a big part of their lives. For the last few months they have know he was sick, he was in a home, couldn’t talk and had issuing remembering his family remembers.

He was in such bad condition that I didn’t let my children see him anymore, it was to hard and I wanted them to remember him the way he was at their birthday parties, holidays and other times as well. They heard me talk about how great-grandpa was sick and I talked openly with them that he wasn’t doing well, however I wasn’t ready for the death discussion.

Ashlee is six, she has never experienced death with regards to a loved one or even a pet. I tried to explain in the best I could, that great-grandpa was with great-grandma know and they were her guardian angles. She seemed to click with that, the biggest problem was when she asked me if I would ever see them again. I told her when I go to heaven, I didn’t think when I opened my mouth because she started to cry that she didn’t want me to go to heaven. We sat for a while and I tried to reassure her, she seems ok now but still asks about great-grandpa.

With regards to Jack, since he is three we have tried to keep it pretty simple. She has asked a few times if grandpa was going to be ok, would he walk again and when would he see him again. My husband and I have tried to help him understand but he is three, so that is harder.

We just keep telling the kids that great-grandpa will always love them and that they have their memories.

The last few months will be hard..not only to help them but for me to move on. My grandparents were a huge part of my life and I miss my grandma, she passed away 12 years ago, and I will miss my grandpa.