Whilevisiting family during Christmas break, we decided to grab a bite to eat. I saw a fountain that would be a great distraction for my impatient 4 and a half-year old, while we waited to be seated.As I handed my son pennies to toss into the water,I had no idea that he would have such a powerful wish.

“I wish that Mommy never dies.”

His words took my breath away, as I just stoodthere with a handful of copperpennies that were meant for garbage trucks, police cars and Legos.

Our family had experienced 4 deaths in just a short ten months and my son was realizing the permanence of these deaths.

As a child life specialist that works to support children’s grief, I was witnessing my own son’s emotional torture of understanding death, coping with his fear of loss and trying to understand why his French Bulldog couldn’t come back…