Grief is a universal experience, but children perceive it differently than adults. (Photo: Getty Images/ tatyana tomsickova) tatyana tomsickova Live by Design is a weekly News24 column by Dr Helena Dolny and Mapi Mhlangu on mortality and the conversations around it. Having recently returned to the newsroom environment, I'm struck by the high level of exposure young children have to death.
The recent tragedies surrounding the death of pupils in incidents like the Carletonville scholar transport crash, which claimed the lives of 11 pupils, and another scholar bus accident in Mpumalanga that tragically took four more lives, have highlighted the urgent need for dialogue about grief in children. Parents and community members are sharing their experiences, revealing how these events evoke a spectrum of emotions in their children. One mother shared how her child keeps saying he cried to save his sister, reflecting a profound sense of guilt and emotional turmoil that can result from such tragedies.
It's equally poignant to witness children wearing their school uniforms at the funerals of their classmates, their tear-filled eyes telling stories of loss and confusion. As I observe these young mourners, I often wonder: How do they process what they are going through? At what point should we engage children in conversations about death? The nature of childhood grief Grief is a universal experience, but children perceive it differently than adults. According to Dr Alan Wolfelt, an educato.