Apr 22, 2020
I had the loveliest discussion with Elke Thompson for this episode. Elke is a widowed mom in Scotland – originally from Germany – and after her husband died, she couldn’t find any books to answer the many questions her then-three-year-old had about his dad’s death. She decided to write her own … but there were many twists and turns on the path to getting that done. If you've ever wondered whether you should be honest with kids about difficult topics, you'll want to hear what Elke has to say.
Some topics Elke and I discuss include:
- How she explained to her husband’s heart attack to her three-year-old;
- Going to the bookstore looking for a book to explain death to her young son;
- People saying that her son was too young to understand;
The questions her son asked which led her to understand that he was not too young; - Deciding to write her own children’s books about grief;
Falling in love again, and navigating the new relationship with her kids; - Being diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer a few years after her husband died;
- The importance of being honest with her kids about difficult topics, including her illness; and
- Why she ends both of her books with the message that it’s ok to be sad and it’s ok to be happy too.
I hope you enjoy my discussion with Elke Thompson.