Can small children be counseled on such a scary subject as death?
Yes. In fact, it is the refusal to talk to young grievers about death that makes the process more scary for them. When you talk to a small child about death, it helps him/her to be part of the grieving group, instead of being left to try to understand what is happening on his/her own. This is a much better way of protecting the child than hiding information. Children of all ages can understand more about death than you might think. With small children, they can either be counseled directly, or their parents can be given the tools to help them.
