Helping Muggle children handle end of book 6 (spoilers)

[Mhochberg at aol.com]

Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread. Here are the key points and  
ideas that I've come up with.
 
1. Validate their feelings. Don't tell them "it's just a book." 
 
2. Give them a safe place to talk, write, draw, create, make noise/music  
about their feelings.
 
3. Allow them to lead the discussion to real life comparisons. Some of  their 
fear may be "if I feel this bad about a character in a book, how will I  feel 
if someone in my real life dies?"
 
4. Give them time to grieve. They may feel better in a few days but it may  
come back later on, especially when school starts, around Halloween, or when 
the  next movie comes out.
 
5. If your family or school has traditions or rituals for when people or  
pets die, then ask the child if they would like to do them for DD. This can  
include a wake, shrine, planting a tree, composing a song, or creating a Day of  
the Dead altar.
 
6. Rein in my own belief that DD is not dead but is working with Snape. I  
can express my beliefs if they ask about them but I should not attempt to  
convert them to my way of thinking. 
 
7. Have a list of questions or plot points (NOT including the death scene)  
that they can talk about. 
 
Whew! Thank you all so much.
 
---Mary