How do you explain issues such as Birth, Death and Marriage to a PRE-SCHOOLER? Suggestions Please!?

Answer 1

Keep information age appropriate. Pre schooler won't understand concept of death compared to a 10yr old. Answer their questions and don't elaborate. Keep it simple.

Answer 2

There are a lot of great books on all of these subjects at almost any book store in the important issues section of the children's part of the book store. As far as death I would try to not tell a small child that death is something that happens when we are old, because while that is most often the case and what we hope our kids will find to be true in their lives, sometimes that is not always the case. And I learned the hard way that if you tell a child that death comes at old age they have a harder time understanding death when it happens to younger people. My little girl's best friend (my god-child) passed just before she turned 3, and my little one had a hard time with it because she had be under the impression that only adults can die from being too sick. But there is a great book that is told from a younger voice call "the tenth good thing about Barny" that deals with death. I would suggest it for a child from 3 and up. It is a story about a boy and his cat barny, so it uses ideas that any kid can relate to without being to pushy.

Answer 3

Usually young children are satisfied with simple answers. You just need to give a truthful answer to their questions without going into detail.

When it comes to explaining birth, you can say that the baby comes through a special tunnel inside a mommy's body and out of her (whatever term you use). You can also find some books with simple illustrations to show your child what a baby looks like inside its mother’s uterus and when babies are first born. You may even look into books about animals giving birth.

It is difficult for children this age to fully grasp the concept of death. You can explain that some things like cut flowers and plants live a short time, birds live a little longer, dogs live several years, but people live a long long time. Sometimes things die because they get very very old and sometimes things die because they get very very sick. Depending on your beliefs, you may want to tell your child that when animals or people die that they were needed in heaven. Answer any questions your child has with a simple answer. Lifetimes by Bryan Mellanie is a great book explaining death.

When explaining marriage, you can say that sometimes, when two people meet, they fall in love and want to get married because they want to be together always. Again, depending on your beliefs, you may say that people who get married make a promise to God to love one another and spend their lives together.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Hi Grace,

I learned long ago to only answer the exact question the child has asked. Not to go into too much detail or provide too much background info.

Example : my son asked me "do you think we will all be barefoot in Heaven, or will we wear shoes?" I told him no one knows the answer until they get to Heaven. Asked him what he thought we would wear. For the next five minutes he told me all his theories and thoughts about it.

When he asked about his birth I was direct, geared the answer more toward what happened immediately after he was born. I explained we visited a hospital and he was born and washed off and weighed and his his picture taken. It either distracted him, or put enough of a picture in his mind, he was satisfied.

When he asks about death, I am sure to ask what made him think about it. Did he see this in a t.v. show? Did he notice this in a book? Did he see a dead insect, or did a friend lose a pet? Often times he was reacting to something he overheard, and not wanting a long detailed answer. He wanted a specific situation explained, like the loss of his friend's cat.

I am, by no means, an expert. But it has truly helped to give a short direct answer, and then immediately ask the child a question about it. They will reveal more about what inspired their curiosity, in what they tell you, than when they ask a question.

Good luck to you ~

Answer 5

That kinda depends on exactly what the child has asked. You have to answer them, but keep it on their level of understanding. If a pre-schooler asks "where do babies come from" you don't want to answer with "the stork brings them" or worse get into the "nitty-gritty" details of reproduction. But you can answer that question with the standard "babies come from mommies", or ask the child "where do you think babies come from".

Death is a difficult one to answer, but how to answer it could depend on how the person or animal died (accident, long illness, etc.) It might be wise on this one, to call and speak to the child's doctor or nurse. They will have more resources available to them on how to answer this kind of question including books, videos, and even counselors.

Marriage is an easier one. First what to say depends on what the child is asking. If the child is asking "Why are you marrying Daddy (or whomever)" you can easily answer that "Mommy and Daddy love each other so much that we have decided to share our love with all of our family and friends and have a big party."

Don't give out more information then the child is able to handle and/or understand. Always keep the answers simple, and never lie to a child. Also make sure that you understand what the child is asking too.

Good luck to you!

Answer 6

Is your preschooler asking about these topics all at once?
I wouldn't bring up such serious subjects at such a young age unless they have asked.
If we are talking age 3-4 then keep it simple.
-When two people love each other, they marry and make babies...
-God has a special place for his people. God brings his people there when he feels it is right even though we don't understand.
These are just examples but again, at such a young age getting into too much detail could turn into something you wish you hadn't brought up.

Answer 7

keep it simple .....example birth is when the doctor takes the baby out of mummys tummy marraige is when 2 people love each and they promise to stay together forever death is when you are old and you need to go to sleep for a long time ..hope this helps but just deal with each issue when they ask not all at the same time as it could just confuse

Answer 8

birth-- I told my daughter that there was a baby in mommy's tummy and when it was big enough she would go to the hosp and then we would have a new baby brother or sister!

death- They go away and never come back

Marriage-- 2 ppl love each other and want to live together and have kids, and not be with anyone else

I hope this helps.

The wonderful where do babies come from question

-mommy's tummies
-when 2 people get married, god gives them a baby because they love each other so much

Answer 9

I just went through this same thing with my almost 5 yr old this yr. With birth we explained there was a baby in mommy's tummy and he wanted to come join our family. we didn't go into details about any of it. Death is a harder one we explained to him that God wanted his uncle to come work on his cars in heaven(my brother was a mechanic) and now he was an angel. And when I married my husband we told him all that ment was we promised to be a family together. I hope this helps

Answer 10

Grace,
I'd check out your local bookstore. There have been some AMAZING new children literatures written in the last 3 years on these types of topics that are very age appropriate and use gentle metaphors and lovely pictures. Good luck mom!
Amelia