Kids questions about death and Heaven

[momtoS]

Okay. My FIL and Brother have died. My brother took his own life recently.

My four year old asks alot of questions. Can anyone help answer them?

1. If God can make/do anything why doesn't he make a phone so we can call people in Heaven so that people don't miss them and cry as much?

2. When a person dies and goes to Heaven are they like us or see through like a ghost?

3. How does a person go to Heaven? (their body is still here...so how do they get there).

there is more but I will start with those.

[JElaineB]

How you will answer these questions will depend on your own religous views. However, regardless of your own views I think you need to keep things fairly simple for a 4 year old, so you don't scare or confuse your child.

If you aren't sure of your own views on this subject, and are open to hearing some non-standard answers, I would recommend reading The Fun of Dying (in paperback or Kindle). Very interesting book.

My answers would be:

1) God loves us very much. We are here on earth to learn. Sometime we have to say goodbye to our loved ones but we will see them again. It is ok to be sad, but our loved ones are in a wonderful place and want us to be happy.

2) I belive in heaven it seems very much the same as it is here, we seem solid just like here on earth.

3) The person's spirit or soul is energy - it is the real part of the person. Their energy goes to heaven, which for the spirit/soul is like switching to different channel on a TV. Their energy is now on the heaven "channel". Friends and loved ones who are already there help guide a person to heaven right after death.

[Nazsmum]

Sorry for your losses. It most be hard to have answers for yourself and your son.

The only thing that I want to say is just be honest with your 4yrs old. But also making it simple.

[mandib50]

i am really sorry too. i agree to be honest according to your beliefs but keep it simple. what are your answers to those questions? big hugs.

[umsami]

I'm so sorry for your losses.

This is what I'd say:

1. That's a great idea. I don't know why God didn't do that.  What you can do is write your Grandpa and Uncle letters.  Why don't you help me pick out the paper, and tell me what you want to say.  Then we can make a special mailbox for God and you can put them in there. (Or burn them...or put them on a boat in a lake, etc.)

2.  We don't really know.  What do you think?  Why would you want to be see-through? Why wouldn't you?

3.  We still don't know.  But we do know that people do go there through people who have had what are called near death experiences.  That means that they died, and then came back to life because it wasn't their time.  Pretty much everybody who has experienced a NDE has described a feeling of love and peace.  

Originally Posted by momtoS 

Okay. My FIL and Brother have died. My brother took his own life recently.

My four year old asks alot of questions. Can anyone help answer them?

1. If God can make/do anything why doesn't he make a phone so we can call people in Heaven so that people don't miss them and cry as much?

2. When a person dies and goes to Heaven are they like us or see through like a ghost?

3. How does a person go to Heaven? (their body is still here...so how do they get there).

there is more but I will start with those.