Thursday 11 March 2010

How a little person sees death

The boyfriend’s sister was in a quandary about what to tell her daughter, who’s 4, about the death of her great-grandmother.

Little person was actually in the house when it happened, fast asleep in her bed (although there was a brief moment of panic when she woke up when the undertakers arrived to take the body away). The hubby is in the forces and when he goes away on shift, sister and little person decamp back to the family home for the week (no I don’t understand why either but that’s the way it is) so little person was well aware that Mutti wasn’t well and was in and out of the room all of the time.

His sister wasn’t sure what to do for the best; tell her when she woke up or just send her off to nursery in the morning like usual. She wasn’t sure how she would take it and how upset she would be.

It was decided that it was a play it by ear situation.

Little person woke up and went off to nursery, and it was decided that hubby (who was back that evening) and mummy would sit down and explain to her when she came home from nursery.

They picked her up, took her home and explained that Mutti had died and that she was now in heaven.

Little person’s response?

“Does that mean she’s not in bed anymore?”

And that. Was that.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Children are so straight forward! to the point! Bless the little people! Suzie xxx

Unknown said...

Nothing ever seems complicated in a small person's world does it? It always amazes me how much they understand and the way they look at the world with innocent eyes.

Kelly said...

I think children always surprise us with how well they cope and understand things that we struggle with!

The Curious Cat said...

oh dear...it isn't easy to explain...she'll understand one day... xxx

Taz said...

Life is so much more straightforward when you're wee. (((hugs)))
My small people lost 2 grandparents within the space of 3 months, they were 9 and 4 at the time and the only thing that played on their mind (especially wee one) for a good while afterwards was who was going to die next. :(
So sorry to hear about your boy's grannie, you're all in my thoughts x

P said...

Aw, while I'm sorry about your man's gran, the child's response made me snort out loud!