# Explain a hard topic to my child in age-appropriate words

Gentle, honest words for talking with your child about death, divorce, illness, or scary news, plus answers to likely questions.

- Topic: Personal Life & Wellbeing
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Health & Wellness, Explain & Teach, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/explain-a-hard-topic-to-my-child-in-age-appropriate-words

## Prompt

```text
Help me talk with my child about something difficult.

**Topic:** [e.g. "grandparent died", "we're separating", "I'm having surgery", "a frightening news event", "our pet is dying"]
**Child's age and temperament:** [AGE; e.g. "anxious", "asks a lot of questions", "keeps feelings inside"]
**What they already know or have overheard:** [DETAILS]
**Our family's beliefs or values to respect:** [religious or cultural views, or "none"]
**Who will be there and when:** [SETTING]

Give me:
1. Key principles for this age: how much to say, what words to use and avoid (for example, avoid "went to sleep" for death with young children).
2. A short script to open the conversation (under 150 words), honest and simple.
3. The questions my child is likely to ask, with brief, truthful answers I can adapt, including "Is it my fault?" and "Will it happen to me or you?"
4. Signs of how they are coping, and what is normal for their age over the next few weeks.
5. Ways to keep the conversation open: books, drawing, rituals, routines.

Do not tell me what to believe; follow my family's values. If my child shows lasting distress, changes in sleep or eating, talks about harming themselves, or I'm worried, suggest speaking to their pediatrician, school counselor, or a child therapist. If there is any immediate danger, contact emergency services.
```

## What to fill in

- DETAILS
- religious or cultural views, or "none"
- SETTING

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.