At nineteen months old, our son C.T. is starting to become aware that he has a brother - not that he knows what it all means, but he is curious and talking about his "brodur". We have B.W.'s scrap book which we look at with C.T. quite a bit, but I'm looking for some simple book/story to think about introducing the concept of having a deceased sibling. I have looked at the common titles... "We were going to have a baby, but we had an angel instead" and "Someone came before you"..., but both are potentially confusing. The former seems to allude to babies becoming angels if they die (which we do NOT believe). The cover of the latter shows a baby-ish looking angel on the cover. Again, this doesn't align with what we actually believe or will tell C.T. Angels watching over and caring for B.W., we are okay with that..., but him transforming into an angel, that doesn't work for us.
Any ideas out there - ones you've heard of, or ones that have been helpful for you and your family?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Did you read "Someone Came Before You"? I read it once in a book store. I didn't buy it (no one to buy it for yet), so I can't recall with certainty, but I think the book just says something about the baby being in Heaven and making room in his mommy and daddy's hearts for another baby. I don't think the baby actually becomes an angel - despite the drawing of the baby with wings on the cover. Like I said, I can't completely recall, so don't order the book online based on my recommendation, but it might be worth trying to find the book in a store so you can read through it before buying it to make sure it jives with your beliefs. I also don't believe my daughter herself became an angel, and I remember thinking I would purchase the book if and when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your search and explaining siblings and death to your little guy. I wish you didn't have to and C.T had his big brother to play with.
I would love to know if you find something. And, if I find something I'll pass the info along. My 5 year old daughter is beginning to ask many questions about her sister.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you even have to think about this! Love and hugs.
I wrote about a book we were gifted after we lost our baby boy - it's the companion book to "Someone Came Before You" - and it's called, "We were going to have a baby but we had an angel instead." They're both by a grief site in Oregon, USA. Beautiful drawings, wonderful text. I have it linked on the upper left hand side of my blog if you want more of my thoughts on it. I can't recommend it enough. I haven't read the Someone book, but I'll bet it's just as good. Brilliantly real (not sugar-coated, not denying that grief is real and lasting).
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to it on my blog: http://busyhandsbc.blogspot.com/2009/06/childrens-book-about-stillbirth-and.html
ReplyDelete