Children and Grief (Part One)

By: Betty Dangler
Friday, March 25, 2022

I read this article about children and grief and wanted to share it with you. I feel it will provide some valuable insights into how to help children cope with their grief. Since there is so much information, this will be a two-part blog.

Talking about the loss of a loved one can be difficult for an adult. Think about how difficult this conversation can be for a child who has experienced a loss. In an effort not to upset their parents, children might not want to talk about their feelings.

Parents, family members, teachers, and any other adults can help children grieve and offer their support. They can talk to the parents to see how they can support the child and their family.

How do you start the conversation with a child?

You can share memories about the loved one with a child. Children and teens may not feel comfortable to share their feelings and stories right away. Give them time. You can share your stories, memories, and feelings to help children and teens feel more comfortable.

Schedule time with the child or teen.

Encourage the child or teen to come to you at any time. Children and teens may be reluctant at first to talk with you. Schedule some dates and times to talk with them first. This may start to open up the communication.

Keep the Communication Simple

Explain to the children that the person has died. Do not be afraid to use the terms death or died. Refrain from using the term the person “fell asleep”.  This could cause anxiety about their parents falling asleep or their own falling asleep. Your honesty at the level of the children is very important.

Allow them to be Children

Children and teens can not mourn 24/7. No one really can. It is not healthy. They need to share other emotions too. Schedule time for activities that center around them. They need to laugh and have fun too. Children and teens need to experience some “normal” time.

Grief is a journey for children too. They cannot go around it. They need to go through it and experience it. More tips for helping children through grief will be shared next month.

 

 

 

Leave a comment
Name*:
Email:
Comment*:
Please enter the numbers and letters you see in the image. Note that the case of the letters entered matters.
Refresh
Audio

Comments

Please wait

Previous Posts

Personalize the Funeral

Whether you want to remember your loved one with a traditional funeral or non-traditional funeral, you can personalize the services. Design a service that pays tribute to your loved one. You are p...

How Grief Can Impact Relationships

I came across this article by Fred Colby, who works with widowers, “How Grief Can Impact Relationships”. In this article, he talks about his own grief after his wife died and how he tried to isolat...

Honoring the Life of a Loved One

As society moves away from the traditional funeral services, the questions asked are:  How would you like to remember your loved one? What fond memories do you have of your loved one? What spe...

The Forgotten Holiday

Valentine’s Day can be known as the forgotten holiday for grievers. They are probably so relieved that they were able to survive the December holidays, and now, here is the holiday that celebrates ...

Self-Care for Grievers

As with any new year, people always like to make resolutions. Usually by the middle of January, these resolutions are nearly forgotten or, you tell yourself, “there is always tomorrow”. As griever...

Thanksgiving, A Day to Give Thanks

Thanksgiving, A Day to Give Thanks Gratitude can change your attitude. When you come from a place of gratitude, your mood changes and you see things in a more positive prospective. Even when I wo...

Three Cents

I read an article about a support group that was helping high school age students deal with the loss of a parent. They met once a month to share pizza, cookies, and share their stories about their ...

Children and Grief (Part Two

Children and Grief (Part Two) Grief is a journey for children as well as adults. They can not go around it. They need to go through if and experience it. Here are more suggestions for helping chil...

Valentine's Day, The Holiday of Love

Valentine’s Day, The Holiday of Love   Would you find it easier just to ignore this holiday? For those of us who have lost loved ones, the answer is probably a resounding “yes.” Yet, if you...

Joy is a Choice

I was reading an article by Deepak Chopra, an Indian-born doctor and author. He suggested that we can create a “pandemic of joy”. This idea aroused my curiosity so I had to read on. He went on to ...