How Kids Deal with Death

For the past several months, every time I play with Ana, or she plays with someone else, someone always dies, or is dead. Or gets kidnapped or something. The only reason I can think is that this is how she copes with news that Thad and I get occasionally that someone we know has passed away.

I always try to steer her away from the topic of death while playing, but she always brings it up again. And I hope this isn't too inappropriate to say, but sometimes her fascination with it is a little funny.

For example, yesterday before church we had this conversation, which is one of many similar conversations we've had lately:

Ana: Mommy, do you want to play with me?

Me: Sure! What do you want to play? We can spray witches again (on Saturday we pretended there were witches all around us and the only way to get rid of them was to spray them with laundry stain remover)

Ana: Or, we could kill people?

Me: No, we're not going to kill people

Ana: Oh, I know a super fun, happy game we could play? Let's play house!

Me: Ok. Who do you want to be?

Ana: I'll be the mommy

Me: Ok. I"ll be the kid.

Ana: And let's pretend that the daddy and the brother are dead!

Me: No, Ana, let's pretend that everyone is alive, OK?


What is it with her??