Author and Speaker
Hi, I'm Elke and I am passionate about enabling adults to easily have open and honest conversations with (their) children about death and serious illness through my fully illustrated picture books.
I can help you with:
Explaining death to (very young) children
Understanding the child's perspective
April 22nd, 2009 was the day my seemingly fit and healthy husband had a heart attack and died. We were both 34. He and our three-year-old son had gone away for a father-son bonding weekend, over 150 miles away, while our 11-months-old daughter and I stayed at home. All of a sudden, without warning, I was a young widow and single mum to two grieving children under four. I never got to say goodbye to my husband. Never got to hold his hand and tell him it was okay and that he was loved. And whilst dealing with my own grief and shock, I had to find a way to help my children understand what had happened. Had to find answers to the seemingly never-ending questions that my toddler bombarded me with.
"Will you have to die, Mummy?", "How many more sleeps until I have to die?", "What happened to Daddy's body?"...
If you are faced with questions like this, our books can help. They will give you an insight into the child's mind, encourage open and honest conversations, and help you feel less alone.
Remember: It's okay to be sad, but it's okay to be happy, too.
Elke is a Speaker and Storyteller, her books include:
"Is Daddy Coming Back in a Minute?"
"What Happened to Daddy's Body?"
"Is it still ok to have cuddles?"