Does anybody know of any toddlers books explaining cancer and death?

Question

my husband passed away almost 3 weeks ago. he had bladder cancer. we were fortunate to have him at home until 1 1/2 days before he passed away. with this being said, our 2 1/2 year old daughter witnessed daddy experiencing sciatic pain all the time, extreme fatigue, radiation treatments 5 days a week for 3 weeks, loss of appetite, vomitting, daily medication etc. she would not understand why daddy was always sleeping, not eating, always hurting, not able to play "rumble tumble",go shopping or just go for a car ride. now daddy has died,we have told her daddy is in heaven,way high in the sky, she now blows hugs and kisses towards the sky for daddy. she knows we cannot see or touch him except in pictures and she knows he is always watching us. we have been giving daddy's pic hugs and kisses every night before bed.she has been saying i wish he was here. Now 2 days ago she said daddy is still in the hospital and will be home in 3 days. any ideas how to deal with this one?? PLEASE.

Answer 1

Your child is very young and I don't know if it is possible to explain death at this age.
However,
.Dancing on the Moon by Janice Roper is the story of a little girl dealing with her brother's death.
Goodbye, Max (Library Binding)
by Holly Keller Story is about a boy dealing with the death of his dog
Both book are for kids ages 4 - 8.
So sorry about your loss.

Answer 2

My gosh ... your daughter is only 2.1/2 years old. Do you really think that she is going to understand books about cancer and death?. Just tell her that "daddy has gone to heaven, will not be back, but is looking after us". Don't go showing her photos unless she askes for them. You really have to get her mind on some positive things at the moment. When she gets older she will ask more questions and you will be able to answer all her questions about death. Just let it go for a moment. Don't want to stress out a toddler. Take care.

Answer 3

In your position I would just deal with each comment as you would deal with anything else with a 2 year old, "Now, remember what Mummy told you....", but taking the opportunity of talking about Daddy as you have been doing.

Answer 4

whell my father passed away when I was 4 a week after my b-day and at 7 my grandma died from cancer. It is a sad thing, no book can really describe it or be affective just go ahead and tell your daughter yourself maby say he passed on or somthing gentil like that but you should just sit her down and explain maby if she still has trouble some counceling will help.

Answer 5

My heart longs to relieve you of some of your anguish and grief.
I also experienced the turmiols a family goes through when dealing with a terminal cancer of a loved one. Both of my parents died because of cancer four years 10 days apart. Both were 50 years of age at death and suffered much like your husband did. My oldest son, now 16, was 3 at the time my father died. and when my mother died he was 7 and his younger brother was 2, now 10 years old. How did I explain things to help them understad? I tried to keep them involved as much as i thought they could handle. We talked about Grandpa and Grandma all the time. we talked about everything especially there illnesses. I looked to the cancer center of my local hospital for materials for my sons. like coloring book, story books and i enrolled both in an age approprate grief support group provided from the cancer center. I do not know your religious prefrences, but I also looked to my church for support and prayers for my parents and for my family to keep strong and to understand this horrible disease. Then I let go and let God. I know we have not gotten over the loss of our parents/grandparents passing, we probably never will. I do not think anyone really does, the trick is to incorperate your loss into your life and cherish the good memories and keep them alive for you young daughter so she can remember the good memories along with the not so good memories that your daughter hold so dearly of her daddy. I do have some thoughts to your last question about how/why your daughter said her daddy will be home in 3 days... I believe that young children have natural abilities to see angels. Your daughter may have had experiences with family member that have already passed away. Maybe through those experiences she learned that her Daddy will be home in three days, maybe he will, maybe he will be your daughters gaurdian angel, who knows....anyhting can happen in someone's life. whether or not you believe in angels, explain heaven to your daughter so she can begin to undeerstand where Daddy is. also, I would as soon as you can enroll her and yourself in a grief support group. It will do both of you wonders. Take Care God bless....Imma

Answer 6

My dad grow to be very ill (heart ailment and lung maximum cancers) at the same time as i grow to be turning out to be up and he gave up the ghost a week in the previous my fifth birthday. All I keep in suggestions of him grow to be my mom continually declaring "Daddy is ill he can not play" and him continually being in and out of the health center. i don't understand if that prepared us (i'm a twin to boot) or no longer yet I knew he grow to be ill. I did at 5 comprehend he grow to be not in any respect coming again. My mom had us say solid bye to him and certain we referred to his body after he had died. i understand each and every individual does no longer deal with it that way yet i imagine my mom made the right decision! We referred to him no longer transferring and he looked like he grow to be dozing (in a 5 3 hundred and sixty 5 days olds head). Then my mom informed us he grow to be no longer coming again that he grow to be useless and in heaven with the angels.