We have a strange problem indeed at our house. Because we have taught our children about the resurrection, they think they are indestructible. This is the type of conversation I have find myself having at least weekly with the kids:
Me: Makenna, you cannot run in the street. You might get hit by a car (pick any dangerous behavior and insert in conversation). Do you know what will happen if you get hit?
Makenna: No
Me: You will get very hurt because you are so little. You might even die!!
Carter: Yeah, but then she will be resurrected and come back to life!!
Me: Carter, that's not how it works. Makenna won't be resurrected for a long, long time.
You get the idea.... I'm not really sure how to drive home the point that once you're dead, you're dead. M had a little crossing the street by herself incident on the way to the park last week. She was in BIG trouble and we even found a youtube video of a child getting hit by a car that we showed her. I thought it would scare her but she LOVED it and wants to watch it over and over (don't worry, we don't let her).
Any advice?!?
(I have lots to say today. Stay tuned, hopefully Addie will cooperate)
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9 comments:
Okay, I think it's so funny that she wants to watch the YouTube video over and over. Have you tried asking them how they would feel if their other sibling wasn't around? Maybe it will connect when they think of others gone and not themselves. Ask M how she would feel if C got hit and died. Just a thought.
maybe it's time for a goldfish.....
I hope you do post more today :) we're home and will be on the computer a lot, so I'll check back!
hmmm... I think it is pretty normal for kids to feel a bit immortal,so you've got to put a little fear in their hearts. I like Mindy P's suggestion. Maybe you could also play up the "it would really, really hurt" angle. A little blood and gore, instead of death? Good luck!
Oh, we have the same problem. Only the kids are just about as freaked out about someone "dying" from say a car in the parking lot, as I am. "But I don't want Nathan to die!"
Don't let them watch Hurcules, Meg dies and Hurc "puts her spirit back, just like we will" (That's what Katie says).
Can't wait to hear the other stuff on your mind today!
Hmm, I think I'd strap her back in the stroller or put her right in the shopping cart in the parking lot when you are running errands - and tell her she's not allowed to walk like a big girl until she shows you she will be responsible and follow the rules? Of course, this would only work if she likes to walk - in my case, Harrison is 5 1/2 and still whining when he has to use his own two legs - lol. Good luck, that would scare me so bad to see my kids run across the street.
There are several great ideas here. I would play up the pain of dying at this point. Keeping her in the cart is a good one too. The other thing I would suggest is driving by a cemetery and talking about your body going underground until you are resurrected. Lillian always says when we drive by one "that's where your skin goes when you die". Maybe the idea of being buried underground all alone (even though we know the spirit isn't there) would a good visual. Good luck!
I think it just takes time for their young minds to grasp the idea. My kids have said similar things when I've warned them how they could die. They're like, "Then we get to live with Jesus." I'm like how do you explain that it's a wonderful thing to live with Jesus, but we aren't ready for them to leave us yet if we can help it. :) Such innocent minds with so much faith...wish my mind were more like that.
Connor and I have been going 'round and 'round about the whole death thing, but more along the lines of him having lots of questions about it. I just think it's so difficult for them to understand the finality of it. Good luck!
Just tell them I died from some reckless behavior. If they're not sad, I'll never buy them another present. If they are, it will drive home the point that Uncle Joel was too wicked to be resurrected, and they don't want to go where he is.
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