Giving children and teens a well-rounded education is very important. A topic that should be included is death and dying. Death is an inevitable part of life. By providing education on the topic, we can reduce fear and confusion for children.
According to the National Library of Medicine, honest and age-appropriate discussions can support healthy emotional development and strong coping skills for children and teens. The research goes on to say this openness can create or improve resiliency in children when they experience sudden loss, and that children who are encouraged to ask questions often learn to better express their emotions.
In the past, death has largely been treated as a taboo subject, but many people are working to change that. Laura Throssell, a funeral celebrant in Scotland, is one of the people leading the shift in attitude. As a teen, Laura was advised not to pursue a profession in the deathcare field. She was told it was “creepy.” Today, she’s glad she went for it anyway. She explains that death is such an important part of every single person’s life that she wants everyone to talk about it freely.
Laura incorporates the best parts of people’s lives into her memorial ceremonies. She says laughter is important and the good details of people’s lives are for sharing. She wants young people to see how fulfilling this work can be.
We teach children and teens about so many subjects that they might or might not experience in their lives, but death is a sure thing. They will encounter death throughout their lives. It’s an important job for adults, parents and educators to make sure children learn about death in age-appropriate ways and grow to develop good coping skills.
Always remember, the team at the Park is here to help. We can offer guidance and suggest outside services to help with your death and dying needs. Contact us anytime.
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