When children begin to understand that death is permanent?

alexis1894 · Newbie Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 2

Hello, I am a mother of a 5 years old girl and I need some help. My mother died couple of weeks ago and even thought this is a hard time for me, I am also worried for my little girl. I mean, she acts normally but I am afraid that she might be suffering but won’t admit it. When do children begin to understand that death is permanent?

augie · Newbie Joined: 09 Oct 2004 Posts: 12

I think that it differs from child to child and I think it depends a lot on the relation between the deceased and the child. I only know of my example, I was 8 years old when my mother’s aunt died. Even though I had been visiting her only couple of times in a year, I have to admit that it was the first time I realized how sad you can be when you lose a member of your family.

meep · Newbie Joined: 08 Mar 2007 Posts: 45

I learned when I was around 7 when I was watching my dad play a game and he died in it. I asked questions and learned that way. I haunted me for servral years till I got semi used to this fact.

timemachine · Newbie Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 48

Nothing to worry about. Just talk to her. As one day children has to know all the realities of life.

~Colin~ · Newbie Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Posts: 21

I am 16, and my grandma died when i was around 7 years old. I fully understood what it meant but as a child it wont make them sad unless it was there mother father or brother/sister. They realize that they will never talk to them but it will in fact intrigue them how death works. They wont speak of it, if you leave them alone and ask them a year after the death they will have already understood what it means.

As kids grow up these days they should have already known what death means and fully understood that it is in fact a part of life.

When children begin to understand that death is permanent?

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK