How to tell children someone they love has died. [Serious]

I'm a social worker, and I've been to a number of trainings on the subject. I've also had my fair share of clients who have had to deal with this issue.Be completely honest and tell the child that the person has died. Use the word "dead" and don't use euphemisms. Don't tell the child that the person "didn't wake up" or anything similar. Talking about Heaven or similar beliefs is alright, but make sure that you explain that the person is never coming back, no matter your views. Tell the child that you're feeling very sad about it and that it is a normal feeling. Give them as much time as they need to grieve in their own way and don't be afraid to cry with them.There was an example one of the presenters brought up in one of the trainings - a young girl's sister had died and suddenly she started acting out in school. Not unusual for someone during the grief process, but this was extreme. They asked the girl why she was acting out and she explained that her mother told her that her sister was "such a good girl that God called her up to heaven." This little girl just didn't want to die too, so she was trying to not be good. via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2AOclST