Nursery World - Ask the expert (46)

Educational therapist Andrea Clifford Poston answers your queries about child behaviour Q Can you help with a four-year-old in my class whose grandfather died suddenly several weeks ago? His mother described him and Granddad as 'best mates'. He didn't cry at school but was clearly anxious, telling everyone, 'My Granddad's gone to heaven.' Recently he asked his mother, 'When are we getting Granddad back?' Since then he has been tearful, with explosions of temper, especially around playtime and lunch.

Q Can you help with a four-year-old in my class whose grandfather died suddenly several weeks ago? His mother described him and Granddad as 'best mates'. He didn't cry at school but was clearly anxious, telling everyone, 'My Granddad's gone to heaven.' Recently he asked his mother, 'When are we getting Granddad back?' Since then he has been tearful, with explosions of temper, especially around playtime and lunch.

A We must remember this child is living with a parent who has lost their own parent. He is going to be affected by what they are feeling. Young children can often be a barometer of the emotional state of a family. You could check with the parents and ask how they are explaining what they are feeling to their son. He may need reassurance that it's all right for adults to be sad.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included