08-08-2007, 09:10 PM
[quote dmann]Imake sure NOT to say the dog had gone to sleep and never woke up. They said this makes some kids afraid to go to sleep and are afraid when Mom and Dad go to sleep.
I'd second that advice to avoid the "sleep" explanation. Also, tread very carefully with the concept of the vet putting the dog down. If the child gets the idea that the doctor made the dog die, that could put him off doctors as well as sleep.
My 3-yr-old has been asking about death a lot lately (What does "die" mean?, Are you gonna die?, When are you gonna die?), after it came up regarding some long-gone grandparents and cats in photos. Luckily she seems to enjoy responding to herself with "I'm/You're not gonna die for a long long time.". I'm glad we get to deal with it in the abstract now, before we have someone actually die. I have no idea how I'd have handled it when she was two. though.
I'd second that advice to avoid the "sleep" explanation. Also, tread very carefully with the concept of the vet putting the dog down. If the child gets the idea that the doctor made the dog die, that could put him off doctors as well as sleep.
My 3-yr-old has been asking about death a lot lately (What does "die" mean?, Are you gonna die?, When are you gonna die?), after it came up regarding some long-gone grandparents and cats in photos. Luckily she seems to enjoy responding to herself with "I'm/You're not gonna die for a long long time.". I'm glad we get to deal with it in the abstract now, before we have someone actually die. I have no idea how I'd have handled it when she was two. though.