The days surrounding a death can be a confusing and disorienting time for young children. Altered daily routines and unfamiliar sights and sounds can be difficult for them to understand and cope with.
Children notice even the most subtle changes in their routines and surroundings.
We must validate their feelings and encourage them to share their thoughts, fears, and observations of the events taking place around them. Most important, I believe, is to first find out what your child already knows about death, then what they think they know, and then provide the facts in simple, honest, terms. Explaining death to children is similar to talking to kids about sex, except that many parents find death a more difficult topic. These softened explanations can cause fears in a young child that they too may get lost or go down for a nap and never wake up. They notice the change of the seasons as plants and trees appear to wither and die.