What age is it acceptable to talk to children about death?

[Rationallia]

The other day I was at a relatives home who is a father of a young girl (3 y'o at the time). A TV in the background was playing a detective show and as she walked in a shot played of a dead lady lying flat and having a body bag zipped over her. The young girl asked my mother "What's that lady doing?". She replied saying "Oh, she's just sleeping." I gave the father a look and he just winked. It got me thinking, at what age is it alright to discuss death with children. By discuss I mean explain what it is and the implications of it.

I'm not really interested in a discussion about it, I just want to see the poll results. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves about it. State your opinion, that should lead to more.

[Samuraikoku]

I was four years old. I find that acceptable.

(Edit: But that is only what I remember.)

[Cabra West]

Whenever they ask seems to be a good time to me.

[Crazy Animals]

Anytime, I was 5 when I was told about death, I suppose that's why parents buy their kids pets ; So they learn that everything will die, sad but true.

[The Black Leaves]

I was never really told. I was a very aware child.

[Regnum Dominae]

At whatever age the child is comfortable with it.

/Thread

[Krjder]

No idea, I told my 3yr old brother he was going to I of chicken pox. (I was joking) he told me to : stop being rude

[Napkiraly]

3 or 4. Given my grandfather died when I was that old and it's rather hard to explain that he's merely sleeping and then putting his body into the ground for him never to be seen again.

[Landenburg]

I learned about it the hard way - a homicidal crazy redneck with a gun blew my poor puppy to pieces. I was at least 3 - 4.

[Blackwing Coast]

I would say when they ask, or when some relative dies. Or a pet dies.

[Chestaan]

You know I can't remember a time when I wasn't aware of death, so I must have found out fairly early (definitely no later than four). I don't think my parents sat me down and explained what death meant and I'm not sure how I found out.

I would say that I would find it very strange if someone over seven or eight wasn't aware of what death was.

[Tsuntion]

When the child asks, but I expect preferably before the death of a person close to them. A short-lived pet or something like that can prompt the asking, of course. The parents, or whoever knows the child and is talking to them, can work out how best to explain it. Also, I don't see why talking about death in the presence of a child should be off-limits whatever their age or knowledge of it.

[Mapletish]

I think there isn't a guideline or limit to which age should children be told about death, death is something natural and children ought to know, not for them to be scared of it but to be aware of it as a natural process.

[Nalice]

As soon as they're old enough to grasp the concept. I'd hate for my kid to have to go through losing someone first. As someone else has said, the death of a pet sometimes has to be their first experience with it, and lots of kids don't take that well.

[The Serbian Empire]

When the opportunity presents itself with either a pet or a relative. For me, that was when I was eight and my grandfather passed away. My father's long lived hunting dog died just a few weeks later from an apparent stroke.

[TaQud]

Talk about death at any age.

[Ashmoria]

The other day I was at a relatives home who is a father of a young girl (3 y'o at the time). A TV in the background was playing a detective show and as she walked in a shot played of a dead lady lying flat and having a body bag zipped over her. The young girl asked my mother "What's that lady doing?". She replied saying "Oh, she's just sleeping." I gave the father a look and he just winked. It got me thinking, at what age is it alright to discuss death with children. By discuss I mean explain what it is and the implications of it.

I'm not really interested in a discussion about it, I just want to see the poll results. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves about it. State your opinion, that should lead to more.

first of all 3 is too young to be exposed to tv shows that feature graphic depictions of death. those parents should get a smack upside the head for it.

second, its a mistake to liken death to sleep. doing so makes some sensitive children scared of sleeping. death should be referred to as death.

third, death should be discussed when death comes up and the child is old enough to notice. so the 3 year old should be told that the dog is dead or that grandma died. the rest of the discussion depends on the actual age of the child and how much s/he wants to talk about it.

fourth, you shouldn't lie to your children. you are the source of all trust, all knowledge, all truth. lying to them makes them doubt everything about the world. they should have someone that they can go to and know that what they are told is true. that someone should be their parents.

[Surfistan]

I've been aware of my mortality since my 6-ish, something.

Give a book that deals with that problem. A children's book, is probably the best solution.

[Vitaphone Racing]

When they ask?

[Partybus]

Whenever they ask seems to be a good time to me.

Absolutely this ^

[Lost Memories]

Whenever they ask seems to be a good time to me.

Thinking the same.

[Partybus]

The other day I was at a relatives home who is a father of a young girl (3 y'o at the time). A TV in the background was playing a detective show and as she walked in a shot played of a dead lady lying flat and having a body bag zipped over her. The young girl asked my mother "What's that lady doing?". She replied saying "Oh, she's just sleeping." I gave the father a look and he just winked. It got me thinking, at what age is it alright to discuss death with children. By discuss I mean explain what it is and the implications of it.

I'm not really interested in a discussion about it, I just want to see the poll results. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves about it. State your opinion, that should lead to more.

first of all 3 is too young to be exposed to tv shows that feature graphic depictions of death. those parents should get a smack upside the head for it.

second, its a mistake to liken death to sleep. doing so makes some sensitive children scared of sleeping. death should be referred to as death.

third, death should be discussed when death comes up and the child is old enough to notice. so the 3 year old should be told that the dog is dead or that grandma died. the rest of the discussion depends on the actual age of the child and how much s/he wants to talk about it.

fourth, you shouldn't lie to your children. you are the source of all trust, all knowledge, all truth. lying to them makes them doubt everything about the world. they should have someone that they can go to and know that what they are told is true. that someone should be their parents.

And even more so this^

[Tamoi]

This question mystifies me. Why should death be something bad to discuss? How would one talk about their ancestors without talking as if they're still allive? Why is death something one needs to 'talk about' with their children?
I can't remember a time when I didn't know that blankets come from deer and carrots are dead plants, and the idea that humans behave any differently than other living things seems like an introduced concept rather than a default to be assumed. This goes for pretty much any normal to daily life topic that seems to be somehow taboo in contemporary society. Same goes with knives. I know a family from away who won't let their child touch a knife. I would never have been let a cellphone when I was a kid, and yet I couldn't leave the house without a knife, but now in most places it seems opposite. If a kid has a knife in school in Massachussets or even downstate it's some sort of scandal or something. In elementary school in Maine most of the other students had pocket knives, I even remember whittling during recess with some friends. But in Connecticut one of the teachers from my highschool stopped by my house while I was packing for a hiking trip, and called the cops because I packed a fixed blade knife into my hiking pack. Downstate one of my cousins classmates got in big trouble for having pellets in his pocket. He had been squirrel hunting before school and forgot they were in his pocket. Really? How is that even matter to get in trouble? In Connecticut one year in highschool a whole bunch of my classmates became vegetarian all at once because they found out where meat comes from. In. High. School. They weren't children, they were 14-15 at the time. Yet my sister and I were always present when our parents and other relatives slaughtered and butchered our food, and even got the first meat from it when we were very young (an honour, for those of you ignorant of death who don't know). Or the where babies come from one. Kids come from mama goats, why should humans behave any differently? I don't see why death is anything mysterious, and probably the only reason city children cry about death and are scared of death and stuff (whereas most children I know do not) is because their parents expect them to. I feel like this 'mysteriousness' is a recent phenomenon, with only recently people being so isolated from other living things in cities. I think it has more to do with exposure to nature than any sort of change in values (regardless of whether one thinks this change is progress or not.) A symptom of nature deficit disorder, perhaps?

EDIT: I do remember when I first learned about funerals, though. I remember thinking they were horrific and selfish, and telling my father to make sure I was thrown in the woods when I died so I wouldn't go to waste. (All he said was "I'll probably die before you" and I just responded "oh.")

[Khadgar]

Tamoi, paragraphs please.

OP: I'd tell them as soon as they ask.

[Anarkadia]

Whenever they are able to understand. That way, when you talk to them about sex, it makes it a pleasant surprise!