How do you explain to a 3 year old that her great grandpa died?

Unfortunatly my grandpa only has days to live. Im so confused about how to explain to my dd since we see him every week. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you I really need the help on this one

Re: How do you explain to a 3 year old that her great grandpa died?

I'm really not sure, just wanted to send you &

Re: How do you explain to a 3 year old that her great grandpa died?

thankfully, no one is DS life has passed away yet, but he did ask me once if I had a Papa too. I dont, since he passed away when I was young.

I told DS that yes, I had a Papa. I told him that sometimes people are so special that they become angels and then they get magic powers where they can see you and take care of you all of the time even though you cant see them. I told him angels were people who had to leave to go and do a very special job but bc they are an angel they are always watching over you. I told him that even though I cant see my Papa anymore that he still loves me very much and I still love him very much and that one day you get to see your angels again, but not for a long long time bc they are very busy doing their important job.

He seemed to get it, without having to explain death to him. I hope that helps.

Im so sorry you even have to have this conversation!

Re: How do you explain to a 3 year old that her great grandpa died?

Posted by eddiesmommy

thankfully, no one is DS life has passed away yet, but he did ask me once if I had a Papa too. I dont, since he passed away when I was young.

I told DS that yes, I had a Papa. I told him that sometimes people are so special that they become angels and then they get magic powers where they can see you and take care of you all of the time even though you cant see them. I told him angels were people who had to leave to go and do a very special job but bc they are an angel they are always watching over you. I told him that even though I cant see my Papa anymore that he still loves me very much and I still love him very much and that one day you get to see your angels again, but not for a long long time bc they are very busy doing their important job.

He seemed to get it, without having to explain death to him. I hope that helps.

Im so sorry you even have to have this conversation!

Re: How do you explain to a 3 year old that her great grandpa died?

When my grandfather died Maddie was also around 3 years old.

I explained that great-grandpa was very old and got very sick and sometimes if you are very very old and get very very sick you get to go to heaven and feel better all the time... and not have ouchies anymore.

I told her that even though we can't see grandpa, he is in heaven watching us and smiling at all the silly things we do together... and that one day when we are all very very old we get to go too.

Re: How do you explain to a 3 year old that her great grandpa died?

Here's what I told DS when DH died:

Daddy won't be able to be with us anymore because he got very sick and his body stopped working.

We don't get to see him again, but we get to remember him and tell great stories and look at pictures of him.


That was at a little over 2 years old.

At 3 when he sometimes asks I tell him that daddy got very sick with something called cancer that makes it too hard for people's bodies to keep working.

Then I go back into the "we can tell stories and remember him"

It seems to work for him.