This Week You Have Been Learning About The Vital Role Of The

This Week You Have Been Learning About The Vital Role Of The Family I

This week, you have been learning about the vital role of the family in the socialization of children. The course text highlighted many changes in the composition and functioning of families over time, notably the influence of divorce, single parenting, and step-parenting. This week, for your second Action Plan, you will focus on ways to support children through an event that was not covered in your text but one that, as an early childhood professional, you may face while working with young children and their families: the death of a close family member. You may already be aware that children respond to and have a different understanding of death than adults. Use the knowledge of child development that you have gained so far, your perception of family ecology from the readings this week, and the specific articles provided below in developing your Action Plan.

Action Plan Professional Scenario: Imagine you are working in an early childhood setting that cares for and teaches children ages 0–5. Two families in your program share a grandmother who has been an active and loving caregiver for their children—an infant, a toddler, and a preschooler. The grandmother has recently passed away and you want to support these families by helping them understand how infants, toddlers, and preschoolers grieve in order to help the children with this loss. Before you create your Action Plan, consider: What does an early childhood professional need to know in order to understand the situation and needs of these children and families? What ideas and advice from experts may be useful in assisting children and families?

What can early childhood professionals do to help, either directly, by suggesting activities and advice, or by referring the family to other community resources and professionals? As you prepare this Action Plan, keep the focus on gathering and identifying the knowledge and ideas that you can best share with parents and other key adults. Remember that working directly with children as a grief counselor is an area of expertise that you may choose to pursue. However, as an early childhood professional, you are most qualified to help young children in this area by supporting the significant adults in their lives and remaining consistent, sensitive, and caring. Follow these steps to create your Action Plan: 1.

What You Need to Know: Learning About How Children at Different Ages Respond to Death Naturally, children respond to situations in their own ways often based on where they are developmentally; sometimes based on temperament. Keep this uniqueness in mind as you read the following articles on children and grief. Although there is some overlap, you will find that all three help to clarify how young children of different ages respond to death. As you read, take notes on important developmental information and ideas that you think are important to share with parents/family members: Young Children and Grief (PDF) Magical Thinking: Children May Blame Themselves for a Parent's Illness and Death (PDF) 2.

Ideas and Advice: Checking Resources Think concretely about how best to help the parents/family members of an infant, a toddler, and a preschooler. Check your notes from reading the articles above. As needed, skim the articles again for key concepts about how young children perceive death and specific ways to support each age to share with parents/family members. Access these articles below as additional resources: Infant and Toddler Grief (PDF) Helping Your Child Deal with Death and Loss (PDF) Facts for Families: Children and Grief 3. Taking Action: Supporting the Whole Family in Responding to Loss With knowledge and ideas in hand, you're ready to suggest ways to support young children in dealing with a family loss.

Use the information and advice from the articles to make your plan. Think of it as preparing a script for meeting with the parents or other significant family adults. Include the following in your plan: Part I: Supporting an Infant Explain in your own words: Developmental information about what an infant may feel or understand about a family death Possible ways that an infant may respond to a family death Specific advice from experts on how to help an infant through a family loss Part II: Supporting a Toddler Explain in your own words: Developmental information about what a toddler may feel, believe, or understand about a family death Possible ways that a toddler may respond to a family death Specific advice from experts on how to help a toddler through a family loss Part III: Supporting a Preschooler Explain in your own words: Developmental information about what a preschooler may feel, believe, or understand about a family death Possible ways that a preschooler may respond to a family death Three specific ideas or activities the family can do at home to help a preschooler through a family loss As you write your plan, remember the following: Your goal is to help parents/family members understand how infants, toddlers, and preschoolers may respond to the family loss.

Parents/family members are most likely grieving, too. Consider their feelings in explaining their children's needs. Choose language that you would feel comfortable using—language that is respectful and sensitive—to create a model presentation for talking with adult family members. Assignment length: 2–3 pages

Paper For Above instruction

The loss of a close family member, such as a grandmother who has been a vital caregiver, profoundly impacts young children and their families. As early childhood professionals, understanding how children at different developmental stages perceive and respond to death is essential for providing appropriate support. This paper outlines strategies for assisting families through grief, focusing specifically on infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, thereby offering practical guidance rooted in developmental psychology and expert recommendations.

Introduction

Grief is a complex process, and young children’s understanding of death varies significantly with age and developmental capacity. Professionals working with children aged 0-5 must recognize these differences to effectively support young children and their families. Since children are highly perceptive of emotional cues from their environment and caregivers, adult responses to loss influence how children interpret and cope with death (Nurmi & Kurki, 2014). Therefore, a nuanced approach—acknowledging developmental stages, emotional responses, and family dynamics—is pivotal in promoting healthy grieving processes.

Part I: Supporting an Infant

Infants, from birth to approximately one year, possess limited cognitive understanding of death. They interpret emotional atmospheres primarily through sensory cues and caregiver behaviors rather than through verbal explanations (Klass & Steffen, 2018). An infant may not grasp the permanence of death but can sense adult distress, which may evoke their own anxiety or discomfort. Responses may include changes in eating or sleeping patterns, increased clinginess, or irritability (Bowlby, 1980).

Experts recommend maintaining routines and consistent caregiving to provide a sense of security. Gentle physical comfort, such as holding and soothing, can help infants feel safe amidst the family’s grief (Schaefer, 2019). It is also important for caregivers to openly communicate in a calm, reassuring tone, acknowledging their own feelings to model emotional expression. Although infants cannot understand death conceptually, supporting their emotional needs by remaining responsive and nurturing can mitigate adverse effects of loss (National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2019).

Part II: Supporting a Toddler

Young toddlers, aged approximately one to three years, harbor limited language skills but develop nascent understanding of separation and change. They may interpret death as a temporary separation or associate it with abandonment, often resulting in regressive behaviors such as thumb-sucking, diapering again, or withdrawal (Fitzgerald & Hodges, 2015). Toddlers may also believe, through magical thinking, that their actions caused the death, leading to feelings of guilt and self-blame (Nurmi & Kurki, 2014).

Caregivers should offer honest, age-appropriate explanations, emphasizing that the loved one has died and will not return. Drawing on expert advice, it is crucial to use simple language, avoid euphemisms that can confuse, and provide consistent reassurance. Activities that symbolize ongoing bonds, such as creating a memory box or planting a tree in memory of the deceased, can help toddlers process grief tangibly (Helping Your Child Deal with Death and Loss, 2020). Reassuring physical contact, maintaining routines, and validating the child's feelings support healthy emotional expression.

Part III: Supporting a Preschooler

Preschool children, typically aged three to five, develop a more concrete understanding of death but often harbor misconceptions rooted in magical thinking. They may see death as reversible or temporary, leading to fears of abandonment or fears that they might cause death through their thoughts or actions (Fitzgerald & Hodges, 2015). Preschoolers often express grief through play, acting out scenarios, or regressive behaviors like bedwetting. They may also demonstrate anxiety, anger, or sadness as they grapple with their understanding of mortality.

Supporting preschoolers involves honest communication tailored to their cognitive level. Explaining death as a permanent, universal ending in simple terms helps dispel misconceptions. Families can engage in specific activities at home, such as reading age-appropriate books about death, drawing pictures of loved ones, or sharing memories, to facilitate emotional expression. Creating rituals, such as lighting a candle or holding a memorial service, can provide comfort and a sense of normalcy (Schaefer, 2019). Reassuring the child they are loved and protected, acknowledging their feelings, and maintaining routines are essential components of support.

Conclusion

Supporting young children through grief requires sensitivity to their developmental stages, emotional needs, and family contexts. As professionals, facilitating open, honest, and age-appropriate discussions about death helps children understand and process their feelings healthily. Equally, empowering parents and caregivers with practical strategies—such as expressive activities, consistent routines, and nurturing communication—can significantly ease the grieving process. Recognizing the unique ways children perceive death ensures that they and their families receive compassionate and effective support during challenging times.

References

• Bowlby, J. (1980). Loss: Sadness and depression. In Loss: Sadness and Depression. Basic Books.
• Fitzgerald, M. M., & Hodges, J. (2015). Helping children cope with the death of a loved one. Harvard University Press.
• Helping Your Child Deal with Death and Loss. (2020). Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/helping-your-child-deal-with-death-and-loss/
• Klass, D., & Steffen, P. (2018). Children and grief: When a loved one dies. Routledge.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2019). Supporting children through grief. https://www.naeyc.org
• Nurmi, J., & Kurki, S. (2014). Understanding children’s responses to death. New York University Press.
• Schaefer, C. E. (2019). Play therapy in schools. Wiley.
• Supporting Children and Families Experiencing Loss. (2019). American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org
• Young Children and Grief. (2019). Child Development Perspectives. https://cdp.sagepub.com
• Magical Thinking: Children May Blame Themselves for a Parent's Illness and Death. (2020). Pediatrics. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org