Atheist parents... (1 Viewer)

[Buckrake]

How have you explained death to your young children?

I've come up with my own answer which I trot out, but I'm not really happy with it and am not sure if I'm sugarcoating too much or too little...

 

[shower another shower]

You can't create matter, you can't destroy it. Just a transformation.

 

[Goodbye]

You get born - You keep your head down - Then you die - If your lucky

 

[MDR]

I plan to tell thomas that people turn into memories when they die. If he can't grasp that then I'll tell him that people get put back in their mammy's tummy when they die.

 

[shower another shower]

You get to reign over your own solar system, have loads of wives and give birth to even more spirit babies.

 

[billygannon]

I will say if they cry the person they're mourning for will die again (edit: I won't say this)

 

[egg_]

There's nothing to explain really though, is there? Kids see dead stuff all the time - dead fly on the windowsill, dead rat on the road. Everything dies. No mystery.

 

[pete]

I plan to tell thomas that people turn into memories when they die.

that's actually amazing

 

[magicbastarder]

tell them that when people die, they become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.
especially if their death involves being struck down.

 

[David Kronenbourg]

one word: zombies

 

[Squiggle]

Ro, I like your people becoming memories explanation, but I have to agree with egg_, why is there anything to explain. Surely, if you don't believe in an afterlife or reincarnation, there is nothing to explain. Something living is now dead, no longer living. The animal or person has just ceased to be.

 

[magicbastarder]

was it someone here who once pointed out that children growing up on a farm are much less in need of explanations of death and sex?

 

[Goodbye]

I'm just going to sit the wee fella down stare mournfully into his eyes and show him this:

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[Squiggle]

was it someone here who once pointed out that children growing up on a farm are much less in need of explanations of death and sex?

It could, just possibly, have been me, sounds like something I would say anyway.

 

[Buckrake]

There's nothing to explain really though, is there? Kids see dead stuff all the time - dead fly on the windowsill, dead rat on the road. Everything dies. No mystery.

Yes, but I suppose I'm worried that the cold hard facts of death (yes, mammy and daddy are going to die one day, probably leaving you behind; yes, you are going to die too; no, there's no heaven...unless you're really fond of rotting in the ground) could be somewhat traumatic to a three year old.

I've pretty much told her what Ro said, memories and love, but I hadn't really thought it out very well before she was in front of me asking the questions, so I was quite clumsy. I suppose I just wondered if there was a 'conventional' atheist way of explaining it all... or if anybody had any nice, slick lines I can use the next time she asks

 

[Anthony]

It would only be traumatic to a 3 year old if your tone made it sound traumatic.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

I'm not sure that even Christians properly explain what death is to their kids. A lot of people go around thinking their loved ones become omnipotent when they die. Anyway the Christians have this one pretty clearly explained:

""In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.""

 

[nlgbbbblth]

one word: zombies

three words:

Zombie Flesh Eaters.

 

[Goodbye]

your going to die yeah, just be sure to pass on your genetic material otherwise there'll be nothing of you left to live on... But I'm gay dad... oh eh... Yeah, memories, you become a memory, phew

 

[ann post]

your going to die yeah, just be sure to pass on your genetic material otherwise there'll be nothing of you left to live on... But I'm gay dad... oh eh... Yeah, memories, you become a memory, phew

become a sperm donor, gay son.