How do you talk to kids about why bad things happen?

1w ago·1 min read

My 6 year old's best friend's dad just got diagnosed with cancer and we had to explain it to him. He asked me why God would let that happen if He loves us. I tried to explain suffering and faith but honestly I was struggling with my own answers. How have you guys handled these conversations with your kids? What do you actually say when their world view gets shaken like that?

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Comments(3)

BBrianRegular1w ago

This is such a tough conversation to have. Our approach was just being straightforward that sometimes bodies get sick and doctors try to help them get better. We also made sure to emphasize that it's not his fault and not something he caught from his friend. Kids need that reassurance.

TTony M.Regular1w ago

Man, that's heavy. We went through something similar when our oldest was around that age and it really shook him up. We kept it simple and honest without getting into all the scary details. Let him ask questions and answer what he's ready to hear. It's okay if you don't have all the answers.

RRob H.Regular1w ago

That's really tough. The best thing you can probably do is just let him talk about it and not try to fix it with words. Sometimes kids just need to know it's okay to feel sad or scared about this stuff.