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Contributors
Barbara F. Meltz writes the Globe's Child Caring column. She is author of "Put Yourself in Their Shoes, Understanding How Your Children See the World," and a frequent speaker to parent groups. Join her chat on the first and third Monday of the month at noon.
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« Celebs are just people, right? | Main | On the off chance that your kids sometimes tune you out..... » Wednesday, July 18, 2007What if it's Harry? or Ron?So what if it is Harry who dies? To go with my story today, What's a parent to do if Harry or Ron dies?, here are some other suggestions: Don't wait for your child to tell you he's upset. Many won't, so it's up to you to initiate a conversation: "Gee, you look upset. Would you like to talk about it?" "Tell me what's happening so far." "Tell me about the way it ends." If your child was upset at the death in the last book, it's pretty safe to assume this book could be more upsetting. That doesn't mean he or she shouldn't read it, in fact, he may want to read it as a means of mastering disturbing emotions. Just don't just let her plunge into reading without some preparation: "I was remembering how upset you with the last book...I've heard this one might be even sadder..." If he doesn't like the way the book ends, talk about the way an author crafts a story: "Every author tries to make the best story he can. Sometimes, characters come and go in order to make a good story. What would you have done differently?" Look to other works of fiction your child has read to help them process a character's death, for instance, the sacrifice the lion makes in "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe." Posted by Barbara Meltz at 03:56 PM
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