How do you talk to a child about death in a way that is honest but not frightening?

You want to protect them from the weight of it, but you also know that silence and vague answers create a fear that's bigger than the truth.

There's no perfect script for telling a child that people we love go away and don't come back — only the courage to try anyway.

Have you ever had to have this conversation with a child — what did you say, what do you wish you'd said, and how did they surprise you?