Sign up for updates from The Motherhood community

Add a username & password below to create an account on The Motherhood and join our community

* Required
Already a member? Log In
Please fill in the required fields.

Name

Email address

URL/Blog

Select all of the following that apply:




Tell us about yourself.

* Required

Your name

Your email address

What Live Talk topic would you like to see?

Do you have any experience in this subject? If so, please tell us about it below.

Is there someone you would like to see Host this Live Talk?

Please provide their email if possible.

Is there someone you would like to see as a Featured Guest?

Please provide their email if possible.

* Required

Log in with Facebook

Log in with Facebook

Log in with Twitter

Log into The Motherhood

Forgot password?
Not a Member? Sign Up

You will receive an email with instructions on how to recover your password

Back to Log In

By clicking “Accept,” you acknowledge that you agree to The Motherhood's Terms of Service, Privacy and Copyright Policies.

Past Talk Detail

Sex, drugs, alcohol or grief: few topics are as stressful for parents – or as important for your kids.  Dr. G will give you the words and tools to pass on your own values on these subjects to your children.  We'll address the issues that make you feel most anxious at home, and find new ways and ease to talk about them with your kids.

FEATURED GUESTS:
Rachel Blaufeld
Melissa
ghostwriter, social media strategist, co-founder of smart savvy social
Stefanie Mullen
Jessica Torres
Mysti Reutlinger
Author, Writer, Mom
This Mama Loves
Category:FAMILY
Most Commented On PostsView Full Talk
    • X

      Coffee Lovin' Mom

      Good old Fred Rogers! Thanks for that resource Robin!

      4 months ago

      Deborah

      There are many kinds of grief--including death. The thing is, most people will have to deal with some type of grief that is totally unexpected. Having smaller chats about grief and death is so helpful. We always took our even small children to funeral homes and hospitals.

      4 months ago

      Emily

      This Mama Loves, Jessica, Coffee Lovin Mom, Brandie and Kimberly, your approaches and openness with your kids sounds so well grounded and thought out. That is so very good for your kids. My mom is quite ill and I'm realizing I need to talk more with my girls about the circle of life and what might be coming down the pike soon.

      4 months ago

      This Mama Loves

      My kids have also watched their friends grieve for their siblings, and me for my mom- they have lived with many ways of living with and through grief and while I hate that they have had so much heartache in their young lives, I also appreciate it is going to make them much stronger in the long run. And hopefully, not terrified of death like I have been for much of my life.

      4 months ago

      Kimberly

      My grandfather passed away when my son was 5 so we have been talking about it since then.

      4 months ago

      robin

      The Mr. Roger's pamphlet is called "Talking With Young Children About Death" and it's part of the "Let's Talk About It" series. I bet I picked it up at the public library. Looking at it right now...published by FAMILY COMMUNICATIONS, INC in Pittsburgh. Such a sweet resource...

      4 months ago

      This Mama Loves

      Erin,
      My grampa died when my oldest was just 3. My son was just 1 and grampas namesake. My 6 year old remembers when grama (my mom) got her oxygen tubes (then referred to as straws) and remembers when my mom would get up and join us for dinner, and how as she declined we'd just visit grama in her bed. She watched my mom's death right along with me and it never ceased to amaze me how accepting she was of the process. She didn't have the fear that I did. When we got the call that my mom had died, I was 35 weeks pregnant with my third and I collapsed. Molly's first response was that Grama gets to live with God now, and doesn't have her straws in her nose.

      We have three family friends who have had infants die. Another friend lost her son at 14 months this past summer. Our cat died 2 days after Christmas. I spend a lot of time talking to my kids about the sadness for the people who are left here, and how it's ok to miss them and it's absolutely ok to be sad.

      4 months ago

      Coffee Lovin' Mom

      I think this is as it happens. We haven't had to deal with this yet but our grandparents are getting past 90 so it's coming.

      4 months ago

      Brandie

      We also have talked about how people process their grief differently. Some people cry lots, some people need to write, others need a few days before they are ready to open up.

      4 months ago

      Cooper

      This is such an important topic that probably doesn't get discussed as much as it should.

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Rachel Blaufeld

      I try to stress that grief is normal

      4 months ago

      Brandie

      For us, the topic has come up as we've lost several very loved family members. And so life and death is a part of my kids life. I try to give them space, and let them know it's okay to cry or to talk about the loved one we've lost. We share memories and I try to let them get whatever emotions they have out.

      4 months ago

      Talk Host

      Dr. G

      Erin, each child is of course different, but most kids begin to wonder about this between the ages of 6 and 9.

      4 months ago

      Talk Host

      Dr. G

      Great qeustion Erin! Most families address this when it enters their lives. If you are worried that your kids are getting old enough that you should begin to discuss it, you can use the death of a well-known person or someone in a bible story or a family member that died some time ago. There are also (Thanks Robin!) great books that introduce this topic to kids.

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Rachel Blaufeld

      we experienced an awful death last year with my FIL. I explained as best I could to my then 7 and 10 year olds....there is so much mystery for them. I tried to let them drive in their own way

      4 months ago

      robin

      I have a little pamphlet written by Mr. (Fred) Roger's on grief that I found years ago...it's just lovely.

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Jessica Torres

      My Aunt passed away when my daughter was 3 and we started talking about it at that time.

      4 months ago
    • Erin O 17 comments
    • At what age do you talk to your kids about death and grief? How do you address it when a loved one passes? My grandmother died when I was 7, and I don't remember my parents having a big talk about it with me.
      4 months ago
  • Talk Host
      X

      Featured Guest

      Rachel Blaufeld

      I agree with you kimberly

      4 months ago

      This Mama Loves

      Erin- I cannot count how many hours I spent driving back and forth to NH from CT to spend time with my mom. My oldest missed a ton of school and we were probably up in NH half the time without my husband, but knowing how happy it made my mom to hear the kids laughing and playing and taking baths in her tub (she could see from her bed) made it all worth it.

      The hardest part for me is that my husband's mom has been diagnosed with COPD and Emphysema and I'm sad that my kids are likely going to watch her illness progress just like with my mom.

      4 months ago

      Kimberly

      I have a hard time with this subject myself, but I have told my son that everybody will eventually die.

      4 months ago

      Brandie

      Yes. I will just say this. It's much easier to talk about something theoretical {I mean, right, we all die but generally when our kids ask us about it we are very healthy and that is far from our minds}. When it feels real, it's much harder to open up. But, you know, we're mom. And we have to have that discussion even if it's hard because we know it will help give the kids peace.

      4 months ago

      This Mama Loves

      My kids have godparents, and we've talked to them about Uncie Jonny and Aunt Sarah taking them to live at their house if something happens to both their dad and me.

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Stefanie Mullen

      I haven't discussed it with my kids, but yes, we do have a plan in place.

      4 months ago

      Brandie

      Yes husband I and both have will and living wills. The kids know what happens should the worst happen to hubs and I.

      4 months ago

      This Mama Loves

      Brandie, that's one of my greatest fears. I pray you don't ever have it again, and that the tx knocked all the cancer out.

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Stefanie Mullen

      Brandie, I am happy to hear that you are coming to the end of your treatments. How very difficult those conversations must have been for you.

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Rachel Blaufeld

      I hate this subject as my husband and I are both only children.

      4 months ago

      Coffee Lovin' Mom

      Brandie i couldn't imagine having that conversation about myself...

      4 months ago

      Talk Host

      Dr. G

      Absolutely! You are all being so honest with your kids, which leads to great communication. Have you taken the next step of having plans in place for your children just in case? Kids often ask about this as well!

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Stefanie Mullen

      I hate this question. But they have all asked it. I always say, "Yes someday I will but not for a very long time." And then I say a silent prayer in hopes of that being true.

      4 months ago

      Brandie

      Well, we have talked about this. It has come up several times this year {I am just getting to the end of treatment for breast cancer}. Those were some pretty intense talks. But I was open and honest with my kids. I told them what my doctors told me, they didn't believe this cancer would kill me. But no one could see the future and at some point we will all day.
      But I can't lie. Those were VERY difficult conversations to have because I've never felt so close to death before. Even I was scared.

      4 months ago

      This Mama Loves

      I say "Hopefully not for a long time." They know that everything that is alive will die, because that is how things work.

      4 months ago

      Deborah

      It isn't an if. We will all die--most people live a looong life.

      4 months ago

      Featured Guest

      Jessica Torres

      I tell my daughter that we will all die.

      4 months ago
    • Dr. G 17 comments
    • What do you say when your children ask if you will die?
      4 months ago
Upcoming Talks
View All

Live Talk

Blog

Forum

About

The Motherhood

We know that motherhood is a journey. Pack snacks, turn up the tunes and bring some friends along for the ride. We're glad you're here.

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

FacebookTwitter
©The Motherhood 2012