What Happens When Someone I Love Can't Get Better

About this book

It's a conversation no one wants to have - we just found out someone we love is dying, and we don't have as much time as we hoped. How do we tell the kids? Where do we start? Millions of families, when faced with a shortened life expectancy, struggle with how to talk to their kids about it. We don't want to take away their innocence or end their childhood. How do we have this conversation in a way that isn't devastating or super scary?Join Mia and her stuffed giraffe Stuart as they explain how bodies work and what happens when important body parts aren't able to do their jobs anymore. What Happens When Someone I Love Can't Get Better uses bright and engaging illustrations to explain what keeps bodies alive and helps reduce confusion about why bodies die. It covers important topics such as: what happens when our internal organs stop doing their jobs;- the role of medicine in treatment; the science of death; anticipatory grief and coping skills; comfort care and hospice; legacy building and memory keeping. Open, Honest, and Accessible: Kids can handle learning the truth about most any situation - as long as it's presented in a way that makes sense to them.Validation of Feelings: By shining a light on big (and sometimes shameful) feelings, this book validates kids' feelings and experiences, reassuring them that their emotions are normal and encouraging them to share with a trusted grown-up, in addition to providing suggestions for coping.Resource for Caregivers: When there's no resource to make hard conversations easier, grown-ups are far less likely to have them. This book aims to empower adults and kids with knowledge, which is proven to help kids through traumatic situations.Therapeutic and Educational Tool: What Happens When Someone I Love Can't Get Better is a go-to book in hospitals, schools, counseling settings, and support groups. There are no references to God or the afterlife, leaving room for families to have discussions based on their own belief system.