Let me tell you a story about one of the most unexpected and heartwarming moments in parenting. You know how kids say the darndest things? Well, sometimes they say things that catch you completely off guard. That’s exactly what happened to actress Kristen Bell when her young daughter had a surprisingly mature reaction to a family tragedy.
Here’s the background: Kristen Bell, the beloved star of Frozen and The Good Place, shared a touching story about her daughters, Lincoln, 6, and Delta, 5, on Late Night with Seth Meyers. It all started when their grandfather was nearing the end of his life. He has since passed, but during those emotional days, Kristen’s little one said something that completely took everyone by surprise.
When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn
“Their grandfather was dying — and he’s already passed, but while he was dying, my little girl was in the back and said, ‘So when Papa dies… are we gonna come to Oregon with you?’” Kristen recalled, speaking to Seth Meyers on the show. It was a poignant moment, filled with raw emotion, but what happened next was truly remarkable.
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“And I was like, ‘Yeah, you’ll come.’ And then she said, ‘OK. Do I need to bring my shovel? Because I have a garden set.’ And I said, ‘Why would you pack your shovel, honey?’” Kristen, now 39, explained. “She replied, ‘Well, I want to help bury him. Where do we do it? The side of the house? Or…’ Like, so practical and wanted to help.”
The Practical Side of Grief
Now, you might think this would freak out most parents, but Kristen saw it differently. She was actually a little impressed by her daughter’s thoughtful approach. “I had to explain to her that we, you know, we don’t bury him on the side of the house because it’s not legal,” Kristen said with a chuckle. “But she genuinely wanted to, like, bury her grandfather, and I thought there’s something oddly beautiful about that. She’s a younger member of the family contributing to an older member’s peaceful passing on.”
“Some people could say she’s a sociopath, but I’m not going down that route,” Kristen joked, lightening the mood with her signature wit. She went on to explain that she and her husband, actor Dax Shepard, have always tried to keep things real with their kids, even when it comes to difficult topics like mortality.
Keeping It Real with Kids
Kristen and Dax share both of their children, Lincoln and Delta, and they credit Dax for instilling a practical sense of the world in their daughters. When one of their kids asked if they were going to die at a very young age, the couple decided to be honest. “We just said, ‘Yes, you’re gonna die,’ and she went, ‘Ugh.’ And then we said, ‘We really don’t know what happens when you die. You may just become flowers,’” Kristen recalled. “And she went, ‘OK.’ And we were, like, so relieved because we did make a commitment never to lie to them.”
That’s how you handle tough conversations with kids—by being honest and straightforward. It’s a lesson many of us could learn from.
