Would you be upset if your child's teacher told the class her mum had died?

[MonBlu]

She left a couple of weeks ago because her mum was sick and there was a sub since. Now she's back and told the kids that her mum died. It seems very young for them to have to think about mums dying. They're Year 4 / 5.

Children tend to pick up on things. They may have asked their teacher why they were sad. If its their class teacher you will tend to find at that age they will care a lot about them. They see them everyday. Being honest and upfront is better for everyone, it opens a dialogue for children to ask questions and the teacher doesn't have to put on a brave face. It also teaches children it's ok to be sad and upset (because their teacher is showing them that even adults experience those emotions). Death happens. It's around this time children start to realise it's permanent and it can be anxiety inducing (hence why a deeper discussion can be needed).
Maybe the issue is that you should have had the discussion first? Maybe now is the time to ask you DC if they have any questions about death?

And please show some compassion to their teacher who just lost their mother.

A classmate's parent died, suddenly and violently, when I was 6. What was damaging wasn't the death, but the fact that we were told, for complex reasons, not to talk about it. It would have been even worse if the parent had just 'disappeared'.

Being able to talk about these things is good for children.

Normalise dying..We’re all doing it..