Four-year-old Kelly recently lost her dad. She confronts mom one day, wondering why her mom told her he's in Heaven, but her friends told her he's dead. Mom does her best to explain that Daddy's body is gone, but she believes his spirit is in Heaven. Kelly wants to know if Daddy can eat hot dogs in Heaven, and if she can go to Heaven to eat hot dogs with him, because that was their favorite food. Kelly and her mom move throughout the day's events-laundry, picking flowers in the garden, making hot dogs for
lunch, having lemonade on the porch, and going to bed -while they discuss the concept of death and memory, with Mom explaining that Kelly can always find her dad
in her memories and in her heart. Dr. Barry addresses a topic that will deeply resonate with families of young children who have lost parents, relatives, and other special people in their lives.

Kathleen is a retired licensed psychotherapist and expert on grief. She has published a variety of writings about women, grief, and loss on her website, www.whispersofwisdom.com. "Are There Hot Dogs in Heaven?" is based on Dr. Barry's personal experience of losing her father when she was four years old. Kathleen A. Barry, PhDwww.kathleenabarry.com