My wife of 18 years is dying. Our 12-year-old daughter is seemingly stoic, and exhibiting great resilience. She says as long as her mum is in our hearts, she lives. I don’t know if she is exhibiting denial (in the five stages of grieving) or has moved straight into acceptance. Her mother’s health has been poor for years, so perhaps she has had time to get used to the idea. We speak freely, and while I shed tears, she hasn’t. I worry that, as she becomes a teenager, this event will have huge repercussions if I don’t deal with it appropriately now.
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