Honesty and openness invite a child to a deeper, more personal relationship with you. Euphemisms, such as 'passed away' in reference to a death, don't always convey the message you intend. When discussing personal issues such as death and divorce, the best approach is to state the fact — 'My mother died' or 'Susan and I are getting divorced' — rather than explaining the details or using indirect expressions. Because your child's perspective is different from yours, based on his or her culture, age and personal experiences, the child might not ask additional questions.