How do I explain my father's death to my 5-year-old?

Question

My father passed away from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and my son is so confused. He doesn't understand why Poppa is not here and why mommy is so sad.

Answer 1

We went throught this last month. My grandmother, who was active, and close to my kids died. We simply told our 3.5 yr old that 'NaNa' was gone to see God and would not be coming back. Strangley, he understood. I don't think you can confuse him with a direct and honest approach.

If you are not religous, then tell him that poppa is gone to...what ever you do believe, mother nature, what ever.

Answer 2

nicely at the beginning, my trustworthy condolances. i can not even start to think of what you're dealing with. i think of the type you guard this relies upon on what you have self assurance occurs when you die. in case you're a Christian, or have any sort of religion or have self assurance in an afterlife, now would be a super time to speak approximately it with your daughter. And as a plug, in case you do no longer, now would be a super time to speak to somebody approximately it your self. in case you do not have self assurance in heaven or an afterlife, then only follow the data. tell her that your physique, like quite a few residing ingredient, wasn't designed to final consistently, and on occasion bodies get very ill and die only before others. make advantageous she is conscious how lots you like her, and make advantageous she has a great number of photographs of you so as that she would be in a position to bear in concepts you. that's incredibly helpful to jot down a letter or quite a few, that your sister can provide her while she's older. lower back, i'm so sorry on your project.

Answer 3

1. Tell him that mommy is sad because Poppa went on vacation and isn't going to come back.

2. Tell him that Poppa went to visit Jesus, but Jesus asked Poppa to stay.

3. Tell him that God called and wanted Poppa to come back to heaven to help pour out the rain and to be a grandpa to other little boys who need one in Heaven.

Answer 4

My FIL passed away a year ago a couple months before our son turned 3. We never really used the word "dead" we just told him that Aitita (that's grandpa in Basque) went to heaven to live with God. Now, a year later he's made the connection with death and heaven on his own. I think you do what is age appropriate. For a five year old I would go to a bookstore and find a children's book dealing with the subject. I wouldn't probably offer more information than he is asking for.

Answer 5

I'm sorry to hear about your father passing away. As far as your son is concerned I'd give him the "Grandpa is is heaven because God needed him more than we did" speech. But if you guys are not religious at all then that might not work. That's all I can suggest since I'm sure a 5-year-old won't understand a detailed explanation.

Answer 6

When my Grandpa passed away my second-cousins were like 3 and 1 they took it well, i think they cried less than i did. just tell your son that grandpa's in a better place and he's not feeling any pain. that is what my mom told me. hope this helps.

Answer 7

i remember when my pop died and trying to explain it to my Young cousins (age 4-6)

We said that he was sick and god is going to look after him for us so he has gone to heaven, i remember 1 of the young one asked if we can catch a plain to heaven to go and see him, so we said that we cant see him but he can see us, and we can talk to him when ever we want.

we also got the kids some balloons and wrote messages on them, of what the kids wanted to say to there pop, then we let them go at our pop's fav place (which was the beach)

Answer 8

This is kind of different, but our dog died and my 2 year old brother loved that dog soo much! =( We got our dog privately cremated and we like told him the dog was in the box sleeping. x[

Answer 9

Tell him Gramps went to Heaven (or whatever religion you are). If you are atheist, I don't have any idea what to tell you.