“For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Children innately believe this life is eternal and as parents, we protect
their innocence as long as possible. But, eventually, death interrupts this
life and begs an explanation. While death isn’t a particularly “happy” topic,
in light of recent tragedies, I felt it needed addressing.
If we’re fortunate, death makes its first appearance through an innocent
lady bug or sundried night crawler before it takes our family pet or visits our
beloved family member. But, no matter the circumstance or our age, death is always
difficult and painful. For our children who think concretely, it can prove
traumatic unless we take care to explain it honestly, clearly, and kindly and
offer them tools to cope with their emotions.
How do we explain death? Death is concrete and
our bodies, also physical and concrete, will cease working. The experts*
suggest, “Honesty is the best policy,” with children. If we define death clearly and kindly we eliminate
confusion. As Christian parents or grandparents, we also hold the hope of the
Resurrection and eternal life. For the youngest, explaining this can prove
complicated, but a kind pastor recently explained it like this:
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