Young Child experiencing death for the first time,

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I am watching a rerun on Frasier, and Alice the doctor of Ros does not know that her pet hamster is died, the dog ate it, Ros asks Daphne how to explain it to her, Daphne asks how did Ros' parents explain and Ros answers the wrong way, when her canary died her father went into her bedroom just before she went to sleep, sat down on the bed and explained that the bird was dead, and death was just going to sleep and never waking up, then he got up turned out the light and told her to go to sleep. I can see how that would give the child nightmares Have you ever had to tell a child that someone or something died? If so how did you do it? If not how would you do it if you ever found yourself in that situation, as a parent, friend, mentor, teacher, neighbour, police officer, fireman, doctor etc.