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May 17, 2021 · 1. When Someone Dies: A Child-Caregiver Activity Book – National Alliance for Grieving Children. Structured as an activity book for children to complete alongside their caregivers, this book provides several interactive activities that children can complete to better understand and help cope with their grief.
Jan 25, 2023 · Children naturally and spontaneously use play to cope with anything stressful, overwhelming, or emotional in their lives. Death and grief are no exceptions. Don’t try to ban death from play. It ...
- Kids grieve differently. After losing a loved one, a child may go from crying one minute to playing the next. Their changeable moods do not mean that they aren’t sad or that they’ve finished grieving; children cope differently than adults, and playing can be a defense mechanism to prevent a child from becoming overwhelmed.
- Encourage a grieving child to express feelings. It’s good for kids to express whatever emotions they are feeling. There are many good children’s books about death, and reading these books together can be a great way to start a conversation with your child.
- Be developmentally appropriate. It is hard to know how a child will react to death or even if they can grasp the concept. Don’t volunteer too much information, as this may be overwhelming.
- Be direct. When discussing death, never use euphemisms. Kids are extremely literal, and hearing that a loved one “went to sleep” can be scary. Besides making your child afraid of bedtime, euphemisms interfere with their opportunity to develop healthy coping skills that they will need in the future.
Jul 13, 2023 · Helping children cope with death. Helping a child navigate grief may feel overwhelming, but understanding how a child may process and express grief can help parents and family members better support them. Dennis Lisk, of Redmond, Washington, died of glioblastoma at age 44. His wife, Jenny, and their two kids were shocked.
Feb 21, 2022 · Offer unconditional acceptance. There are no rules for grief, and everyone experiences loss in their own way. The same is true for your child. If they seem unaffected when everyone else is upset ...
- Nancy Lovering
Sep 23, 2024 · Possible expressions of grief: Regression to earlier behaviors like thumb-sucking and bedwetting, sleep problems, irritability, confusion. How you can help: Provide honest, direct, brief answers to their questions and lots of reassurance and affection. A consistent routine is also helpful.
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Adults can help children understand the physical cause of a death by being brief and using simple language at a developmentally appropriate level. Understanding the physical reasons behind a death helps minimize possible confusion and feelings of guilt or shame children may experience. Most children grasp these concepts by 5 to 7 years of age ...
