I was wondering what you tell your child after someone dies. Are you honest with them about your beliefs? Do you tell them that is all? I'm really curious about this and don't mean this as a loaded question. Someone in my family recently passed and I helped explain it to my neice and nephew who are 5 and 6 and I just wondered how you would explain it to a child. Please let me know if you have had the experience and how the child reacted.
Thank you for the insight.
2006-10-29 09:05:08 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
BTW- I'm a Pagan and no I don't want you to lie to your children, I am just wondering exactly what you say and how they have reacted. I am not critisizing you for not believing in my Gods...you have every right to believe what you want, I was just wondering.
2006-10-29 09:11:16 · update #1
Shrykull (sorry if I spelled that wrong) I have no idea how to do the messenger thing...I'm more computer illiterate then a 3 year old!
2006-10-29 09:42:20 · update #2
Thats a good question. Thanks for asking respectfully.
In my family we had a murder. My grandmom. It was a really horrible event. Basically we talked about how to remember her and carry on her legacy after she died.
At this time my children thought about their own mortality. A few nights we talked a long time about "I don't want to die" and how fragile life is. We tried to put energy into positive things - rather than into fearing the end of life.
But yes, I just anwered their questions honestly without going into more detail than they asked for. "She has died and doesn't exist anymore. Just like your pet turtle and all things that die." They didn't have to get over NOT having heaven because they never had the idea of heaven put on them in the first place.
2006-10-29 09:10:20 · answer #1 · answered by Black Parade Billie 5 · 6⤊ 1⤋
I am only 16 years old and obviously I don't have any children, but when I have some of my own, I am not going to mention Religion much to them. From a very young age I never was a catholic, even if 98% of my country are Roman Catholics. I would like to teach my children science, teach them about the universe, teach them the truth, myths and unknowns. And when it come to telling them about death I will tell them that it is still a mystery what happens to someone after he dies so therefor unless someone proves what 'really' happens, then the most accurate answer would be that dead is really 'the end'.
I consider myself an open-minded Individual, I will let them believe what ever they want, but I will tell them the facts, and the proofs.
Skipping the subjects, I am quite fond of the pagan religion. I don't believe in it personally, but I find it quite interesting. Although what interests me most is Wiccan. I'd be glad if you could add me on the messenger. Thx
2006-10-29 09:30:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Diff POV's my guy...altho, from what i will tell, each and all the athiests have been respectful of others comments around right here for the main area...that's often any opposite direction around regrettably the place the evangelicals (sp?) are attacking the athiest...and that i'm a Christian so no i'm no longer attacking rather everyone, in basic terms pointing out the data.
2016-10-03 02:13:40 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I had children, I would tell them that death is an end. But, someone had pointed out that we still have memories of our loved ones and they live on in them. I thought that was a nice touch.
Also, I'd strongly advise my children not to take the jeers and cruel comments other children would give them when they state their "beliefs" (children of young age have no belief system, they simply repeat your own) to others and that they're better than that.
2006-10-29 09:22:37 · answer #4 · answered by umwut? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't yet have any children, but when I do have them I intend to tell them that eventually everything dies. That means that they aren't here anymore; it is kind of like being asleep for ever. It isn't a bad or scary thing, it is just like being born only opposite.
I think that is simple enough for a young child to understand. Hopefully, they will have a pet goldfish or something pass away before they have to deal with the loss of a human loved one (I know that sounds morbid, but it's how I learned to deal with death.)
Good question, by the way.
2006-10-29 09:08:05 · answer #5 · answered by N 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
What ever religion you belong to a child of 5 or 6 it is hard to explain, because they see things in black and white, It is better to tell them that the dead will go up and live with the stars, or anything they comprehend at that age. It should be told that the dead never come back and that is important for a child. Perhaps in our dreams only.
2006-10-29 09:09:23 · answer #6 · answered by thachu5 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
When one of my good friends died I told my daughters that he died, I didn't really have to explain anything because being as how I don't believe in god and my wife is only spiritual and not religious, as well as my mother too. I told them that when we die we are buried as a ceremony and there are graveyards so that we may visit the ones that we have lost and love so much. At the time of his death my girls were only one and five years old, but they have asked me about him often seeing as how we have a few pictures of him around and I have a tattoo on my arm as a reminder too.
2006-10-29 09:13:24 · answer #7 · answered by tre_loc_dogg2000 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You tell the child that life has three stages:Birth, Living, and Dying. All three stages are natural and inevitable. That's why it is important that you live your life to the fullest.
Lying to a child about death may help them feel better, but the truth will make them stronger people.
2006-10-29 09:11:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
You realize you speak as if one of the reasons for believing in God is so that we have the less difficult job of telling bad things to our children? For myself, I believe that lying to children is wrong. I am utterly honest and would say that [whoever, and assuming the following was true] has died and they lived a long and happy life and loved them very much, and we owe it to them to remember how important they were in our lives even though they have gone, and to cherish every minute of what remains. If it was very young children (which mine are) I might encourage them to make their own sort of memory book, in which they could paste pictures or stories or whatever it was they loved about the dead person. I could not tell them that they were still watching over them or somesuch.
2006-10-29 09:07:15 · answer #9 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I don't have kids but I'll tell them the truth when I do.
I'll also explain to them the difference between a dogmatic mythology 1800-5000 years old and a constantly updating scientific industry.
2006-10-29 09:09:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋