How to help someone with grief
You have a good friend, co-worker, neighbor, or someone you care for who has just experienced the death of a loved one. Maybe you know instinctively what to do, but…
How parents can help their children with grief
• As soon as possible after the death, set time aside to talk to your child. • Give your child the facts in a simple manner — be careful not to go…
How to help yourself through grief
Grief is so powerful that people sometimes look for ways to go around it rather than experience it. This doesn’t work. The best thing you can do for yourself is…
A 3-year-old’s wisdom
On a dark, misty, dreary morning I prepared my 3-year-old grandson for his day. As I strapped him into his car seat he boldly states, “it’s sunny”, I quickly correct…
Important Things to Know about Grieving Children
Children want to share their experience, though need permission to do so. Children, adolescents and teens all want to share their feelings, though they often believe adults won’t understand. Don’t…
How Schools Can Provide Grieving Children a Safe Haven
Acknowledge that grief affects students emotionally, socially, behaviorally, cognitively, academically, and spiritually. Recognize that school can provide a respite from grief for the student, especially since after a death many…
Responding to a School Crisis: Tips for Educators in Elementary & Secondary Schools
The day begins like any other day. Students arrive smiling and chatting, ready for a day of school. They gather in the hallways, talking, slamming lockers, then coalesce into their…
Military Kids: Responding to Their Grief
To fully understand what children go through when a parent is assigned to a war zone, we need to look at the nature of grief. Grief is experienced not only…
Helping Children Understand Funerals: Planning a Special Service For Children
Funerals are for the living, and the ritual is valuable in several ways. It is a time to say goodbye to a loved one and a time for family and…
After a Tragedy: What Kids Can Do
After a terrible tragedy, many people experience an intense emotional reaction that may not show up for weeks or even months afterward. Mental health clinicians call this reaction Post-Traumatic Stress…