How much do young children understand about tragedy and death? I don’t have an answer for that. However, I can share with you some things I have observed my kids do and say over the past several weeks.
Grandma, Grandpa crushed by car. Go quickly to hospital. Doctors and nurses help them. Amen. – Vi’s nightly prayer, age 2
All three kids role played taking people quickly to the hospital several times a day during the first few days after we found out about the accident.
I want to hear Grandpa’s funny jokes again in Heaven. – Michael, age 4
Michael built the Duplo hospital you see on the right just before his fourth birthday.
I miss Grandpa. I love Grandma, even when she’s sad. – Nikki, age 5
Nikki made an effort to encourage Grandma while we were with her by pointing out the part in the Picture Bible where Jesus wept over the death of His friend Lazarus.
You’re right, it is sometimes hard to gauge our kids’ understanding of these topics. It sounds like yours have a fairly good idea, but I’m sure they’ll ask questions and look to you and Ben for answers as time goes on. We all know that kids surprise us every day with the kinds of things they ask and what they are interested in.
We recently passed what would’ve been my grandma’s 95th birthday, and I made an off-hand comment about it on that day. The girls seemed surprised that I would talk about it as a “would’ve been…”. They said, “Well, she’s still 95! She’s just having a party in Heaven with Jesus today instead of a party with her family.” It is hard to think about not seeing a loved one in this world anymore, but it warmed my heart that my girls are interested in Grandma Eileen’s birthdays in Heaven.