How do I talk to my child about death when they're grieving a loved one?

There's no perfect script, and that's okay. Mirabai teaches us that the examined heart — honest, undefended — speaks more truthfully than rehearsed words. Start by listening first. Ask your child what they've noticed, what they're confused about. They may ask hard questions directly, or they may need you to gently open the door. Be truthful but age-appropriate. A young child needs to know that death means the body stops working and we don't see that person anymore. An older child can hold more complexity — that grief comes in waves, that love doesn't die even when the person does. Mirabai knew grief intimately and wrote about it unflinchingly. She didn't hide her heartbreak or pretend it meant something neat. Your child needs to see that you can hold sadness without collapsing into it. If you cry, that's not failure — it's permission for them to feel too. Let them ask the same question ten times. Repetition isn't stubbornness; it's their mind trying to fit something enormous into understanding. And remember: your calm presence matters more than your perfect words. Sit with them. Answer what you can. Say "I don't know" when you don't. That honesty is a gift.