Death in the family

[katie0584]

Recently my daughters nan, fell over and broke her hip, she was taken to hospital and a few days later she died. Since then my daughter who is 7 has been very clingy to me, and constantly asking if im ok or if im going to die! I have tried to reasure her that im not going any where, but even the sound of an ambulance upsets her as she thinks its coming for me. How can i reasure her im fine? or will it pass in time?

I'm really sorry to hear this happened, and so suddenly. I think its quite normal to be afraid of your parents dying around this age (6+) but this must really have hammered the possibility home.

All you can do is reassure and reassure again. You explain that her nan was very old and not able to recover from her accident as quickly as a younger person would. That you're healthy, no illnesses to overcome, and will be around a long, long time. I think sheer repetition and seeming confident in yourself as you say it is the way forward.

Others my have different suggestions, but this is the technique I use with my two DCs who worry from time to time about death.

My DS is 3, and after the death of my grandfather he seems to be struggling with where he is. I took the route of explaining that granddad was too poorly to get better, but he is in the sky looking down on him, that when people die, they never really leave us, they are always watching over us. It seems to have settled him more.

Maybe that will help ease her anxiety, and take the negativity away from the passing off her loved one.