Michael in the clouds
Talking to very young children about death
Abstract
ABSTRACTMany adults, including professionals, hold a view that very young children cannot fully cognitively comprehend the meaning of death and that it is thus unnecessary, and possibly even damaging, to talk to them about someone I close who has died. This article suggests that this developmentalist view does not take account of the many other ways in which children can connect to loss. Using a case study I based on a Candle Project intervention, this article illustrates how very young children can join in concrete play activities that help their understanding of what has happened. It is argued that excluding young children from explanations and remembering practices may potentially create distress, confusion and long-term problems.
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