Kid asked if his grandma watches him from heaven. Then goes "does she watch me pee though?"

Six year old's man.

You're middle something else and hand goes up.

Doing Noah's ark last month. Sarah raises hand. "Is Noah dead?"

Yeah died long time ago.

"Where's his body?"

Don't know Sarah.

"Can we visit it?"

We're building ark out graham crackers right now can we table this.

Kids don't care about lesson plan. Think of something ask immediately.

Had kid ask during snack. Just eating goldfish goes "what happens when you die?" Other kids stopped chewing. Stared waiting.

Great timing.

Said "went to sleep" once and kid refused go bed for week. His mom called mad. Honestly fair. That was stupid of me.

Sleep happens every night. Don't make kids think sleeping equals dying. Terrible idea.

"Lost someone" sounds like you're bad at keeping track people. Like left them at grocery store.

Kids seen dead bugs. Dead birds. Start there.

"That butterfly we found wasn't moving? Died. Body stopped working. Same thing happens people."

Emma asked why can't fix people like when dad fixes car. Told her bodies different than cars. She said okay went back to coloring.

That was it. Moved on.

What's heaven look like. Is there pizza. Do you sleep there or awake all time. Can you fly.

No idea.

Just tell them don't know. "That's good question. Not sure. Here's what I think though."

Jacob asked if dogs go heaven. Said hope so. He said okay. Done.

Didn't need whole explanation about animal souls or whatever. Just hope dogs there. Good enough.

Heaven where God is. People who love God go there. It's good and happy. Nothing hurts there.

That's what tell little kids.

Then ask if there's Legos in heaven. Or if have do chores. Or if babies stay babies forever.

Usually just say heaven has good stuff so probably.

Real death different than talking about it theoretical.

Their grandma dies. Their dog. Someone real.

Let them feel sad.

"That's really sad. I'm sad too. Okay to cry."

Adults try acting positive so kids think they should too. But they're not positive. They're sad. Let them be sad.

Sarah asked me all morning if her grandma coming back. Over and over. "Is she really not coming back? She's not coming back? So she's never coming back?"

Not because didn't get it. Because was trying make it real in her head.

Drawing pictures memories works sometimes. "Draw something remember doing with grandpa."

Shows them love doesn't stop just because someone's gone.

Did weird thing once where kids made letters heaven. Can't actually send them but whatever. Helped them feel doing something.

One kid drew map his house. Said so grandma could find him if forgot. Another kid wrote down all their jokes together so uncle wouldn't forget them.

Were so serious about it. Took it way more serious than thought they would.

Kids worry dead people sad in heaven. That miss us down here.

Tell them heaven makes people so happy don't feel sad anymore. They're with God everything's good. But still remember us love us.

Had kid cry because couldn't remember her grandma's voice. Told her happens everyone. Voice hard remember. But remembered other stuff like hugs and snickerdoodles her grandma always made.

She stopped crying after that.

Some kids ask questions nonstop. Others don't want talk at all. Both fine.

Don't force kids share. Just tell them available if want to later.

Obviously want them know about Jesus and hope and resurrection.

But don't weaponize death scare kids into believing. That's messed up.

Talk about God loving them. Heaven being real. Jesus making death not the end.

Keep simple. They're five. Don't need Romans Road right now.

Need know God's got it. Scary things don't win.

Every kid teaches me something when ask about death. Their questions make me actually think about what believe.

They're less scared than adults. Accept death faster as part life.

But need know people won't just keep disappearing. That not dying anytime soon. That sad okay to feel.

Mostly need know God's in control. Heaven's real. Love doesn't stop.

That's enough right now.

Be honest. Keep simple. Listen.

Have snacks ready. This stuff exhausting.

For teachers discovering kids ask death questions middle of everything, leaders learning "went to sleep" worst metaphor ever, anyone navigating heavy questions from tiny humans eating goldfish crackers.