From her hands.
To his.
A peaceful place chosen. To open a precious package.
To share a quiet moment.
Remembering a special person in a special place. Our grandma and great-grandmother 1917-2011
helping children cope with death in their family
Talk with your children about your loved one in a comfortable, familiar, quiet place. We chose a special place in nature. My loving aunt compiled a remembrance package of my grandmother—a book my grandmother wrote, precious photos taken by another aunt, and a doily my grandma made for each of her descendants. She crocheted many of these—she had 12 children, who had children...who had more. I shared this remembrance package with our children in our own contemplative woods. Choosing this special place to share these memories created another memory—a memory of peacefulness with our sadness.
Choose a calm part of the day to speak with your children. Bedtime is a good time, in the security of little one's own rooms, tucked snugly into bed. This is when we read the book of memories their great-grandmother wrote. In this book, she has left a treasure of her life's worries, embarrasments and joys. Words that make us laugh, wonder, and remember.
Read a children's book dealing with death. My own mother did this after the loss of our pet dog when I was a child. We like Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs, a touching classic by Tomie dePaola, and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
Share stories and memories of your loved one. I have told stories about my grandmother since our children could listen. Stories my grandmother told me when I was their age. Stories of her life and my visits with her. I'm passing on family history to our children while sharing the beauty of their great-grandmother's life. I have lovingly shared some of these ways I have passed on our grandmother's legacy here before—a string thing is a lovely thing, 12 coats and a middle-of-the-night visitor, and snowball popcorn balls.
There are many ways to approach dealing with death with children. Remembering in nature was natural for us. ©heather cahoon • wordplayhouse®
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