tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356238098880523445.post5517068450446811079..comments2023-05-17T09:11:39.306-05:00Comments on This Heavenly Life -- Messy, Loud, Always Worthwhile: Innocence Vs. RealityThis Heavenly Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14586469381231517883noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356238098880523445.post-63171982508107410002009-08-03T16:50:14.269-05:002009-08-03T16:50:14.269-05:00I totally think you should read the stories as the...I totally think you should read the stories as they are. Try to get yourself in a mindset where you can deal with reading the material without falling apart (if that's a risk), and just get on through it. It's important to not avoid the reality of death- as a Christian, you know that death has been conquered, and that's something our kids should learn sooner than later. And that's why fairytales were written in the first place, to help teach us about real life. We learn courage, truthfulness and other moral lessons from these stories. From what I've seen on this blog, you have healthy happy girls, and you're a great mom. God bless your family.HRH Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02180739390207333556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356238098880523445.post-29991904884316650192009-05-01T14:26:00.000-05:002009-05-01T14:26:00.000-05:00I've never dodged it in stories with my children (...I've never dodged it in stories with my children (4 and 3). The princess dies, Mr. Rabbit dies, Jesus died and rose again. Also my mother died several years ago and my father has remarried, so I've had to explain that to them. (Because Grandma Jeanette was not *my* mommy when I was a little girl.) Last year the highlight of their year was going to a funeral (of a distant relative, not someone they knew). <br /><br />They talk about going to heaven all the time and have even been known to pretend that we are dead and they are trying to survive on their own. :-P It doesn't seem to disturb them in the slightest. (However, some kids are more sensitive than others.)<br /><br />Do they get the full impact of it? Of course not. I don't think it scares them more than they are ready to deal with, because they don't fully understand it yet. But at least they have a place to put the concept when the reality comes. I think fairy tales--not to mention Bible stories--are the perfect way to introduce the idea in a non-threatening way.Queen of Carrotshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03193758647591339890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356238098880523445.post-11037737077501121402009-04-30T12:56:00.000-05:002009-04-30T12:56:00.000-05:00I kind of just lay it out for Kenna. Although she ...I kind of just lay it out for Kenna. Although she does get a bit of a fairytale version of things. She knows that everyone dies eventually and they go to heaven with God where, according to her, everyone has a puppy. This all started because she was asking who my dad was and where he is and all the other questions that go along with that. I still don't think she really gets it though. But I figure more understanding will come with age...at least she sort of has the basics for now. It came in handy when we had a pet lizard die a few weeks ago. Anyway, good luck explaining it to Mia. It'll prepare you for the where do babies come from question that I'm sure is just looming around the corner!Cortneynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356238098880523445.post-27250073253461769382009-04-30T11:08:00.000-05:002009-04-30T11:08:00.000-05:00Well, not that I know from experience but we did c...Well, not that I know from experience but we did cover such issues in my childhood courses...books are always a good way to go and probably better to face the issue before the reality of losing someone happens, could just be a pet but devistating none the less and be prepared with books when you actually face those losses as well...I have heard that you shouldn't sugar coat it but you also shouldn't present bigger things that are hard for a youngster to understand, like you probably shoulnd't tell her that we will all die someday because that is a scary thought for even me. Good luck.Katienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2356238098880523445.post-29056927177131568052009-04-29T19:59:00.000-05:002009-04-29T19:59:00.000-05:00I feel your pain! When my niece died in 2007 (Fai...I feel your pain! When my niece died in 2007 (Faith was 5), I found this really great book called A Place in My Heart, by Annette Aubrey. See if you can find it on amazon or something, I ordered it through Scholastic. Anyway, it is a really great story about a little boy whose grandfather dies, and in the back it has great tips for parents too! Faith get really into books, so this HELPED her tremedously, but be prepared with tissues, because you will cry! Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com