he following information is taken from an article entitled "Helping Your Child Cope with Death" by Fredric C. Hartman, Ph.D.
Seeing death as a change is important for all of us. For children who are constantly changing, they cope in remarkable ways. "Although children do not conceive of death an express their feelings about it in the same way as we adults might, they most definitely are equipped with a highly sophisticated capacity to mourn a death when it does occur." (Hartman) It is the profound change that brings on the mourning process. Poignant feelings of loss can follow the actual death of a pet, friend, or relative but it can also follow a move, a new sibling, or even the turn over of our teachers here at preschool. Some of the feelings of a young child may be anxiety, fear confusion, insecurity, helplessness, frustration, anger, and sorrow.
What we must do is allow our young children to express their feelings to us without feeling that we must make them feel better. We need to listen, acknowledge their feelings, and talk to them about death or change as much as we can. We need to believe in our child’s ability to come to terms with whatever situation he or she is struggling to accept. If we can be attentive and try to understand their expressions of mourning (this can be a challenge when we are also mourning), then a child’s pain can transform into strength and self-confidence that will aid them their whole lives.