How death will affect my child.

My dad has a very rare cancer and doesn't have long left with us. Only diagnosed at xmas. I am devastated but I don't know how best to deal with things for my six year old daughter. She loves her grandad so much. We have been quite open with her and although im sometimes upset we carry on as usual. She knows he's not able to play now and that he is in and out of hospital. She doesn't ask questions but she will be hit hard when grandad dies. I will too but i feel so sorry for her. When the time comes how do I tell her, what do I tell her and does she go to the funeral or is she to young?

Parents
  • Hi Bellabelle,

    I'm really sorry to hear about your Dad. 

    I don't have any children myself, but my nieces were 6 and 3 when their Grandad died. They didn't go to the funeral (I looked after them along with their 7,11 and 14 year old cousins (the 11 and 14yo chose not to go)) but they attended the wake. I think it's very much child specific though and how you think your daughter will manage it 

    There is a really nice children's book called "Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine: An Activity Book to Help when Someone has Died." It has lots of really love memory making activities in it and is really child focussed. I used it in a past job with a girl when her sister died and I now work in a Children's Hospice and we also use it their with siblings. I'd also recommend the story book Badger's Parting Gifts. 

    Take care xx 

Reply
  • Hi Bellabelle,

    I'm really sorry to hear about your Dad. 

    I don't have any children myself, but my nieces were 6 and 3 when their Grandad died. They didn't go to the funeral (I looked after them along with their 7,11 and 14 year old cousins (the 11 and 14yo chose not to go)) but they attended the wake. I think it's very much child specific though and how you think your daughter will manage it 

    There is a really nice children's book called "Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine: An Activity Book to Help when Someone has Died." It has lots of really love memory making activities in it and is really child focussed. I used it in a past job with a girl when her sister died and I now work in a Children's Hospice and we also use it their with siblings. I'd also recommend the story book Badger's Parting Gifts. 

    Take care xx 

Children
No Data