normal conversations?

[imissdow]

Least they seem to be in our house.  A few months ago we were on a road trip with my sister.  Somehow we got talking about dunkin donuts (her favorite coffee place) and my kids tell her that when she dies they will have her cremated and spread her ashes at various dunkin donuts. She was slightly taken aback at this.  Last night we were sitting at the dinner table and my youngest tells me that I will die before she graduates high school.  She came up with this because I have some gray hair and that (in her mind) makes me old. So my oldest tells me "mom I got you. We will have you cremated and get you a tree urn"  Then looks at the youngest and tells he "mommy will turn into a tree and be with us forever"  Amazingly enough none of them seemed the least bit bothered by any of this.  However this still strikes me as odd.

[Guest TooSoon]

Funny, I had two similar conversations with two different groups of little girls this week.  On both occasions they wanted to know where M's Daddy was.  My child is so matter of fact about his death now.  It surely isn't that simple but it is currently her way of coping.  If anything, I think it is healthy and I think in the long term if our children have the ability to speak openly and frankly and even with humor about death it will serve them well, not only as it relates to death but also all of the other inevitable challenges life is going to put in their paths.