Has your child recently lost a loved one? Grieving is a hard time for anyone but can be especially hard for a child who has not had to deal with loss before. Children deal with grief differently depending on their personality and developmental stage. It can be difficult to know what you can do for them as a parent during this time, especially since you are likely to be dealing with grief as well. Read on for ways you can support your child dealing with grief.
Explain in a Way They Can Understand
One of the most difficult aspects of grief can be figuring out how to tell your child. Although you do not want to tell them when you are extremely upset or still in shock by the news, you will want to tell them as soon as possible. You want to tell them in a private place as you never know what their reaction might be. Be direct, yet compassionate, when telling them what happened and be prepared with answers to questions that they are likely to ask. Make sure you don’t give them too much information before they ask or to use words they may not understand which may confuse them more.
Give Them Someone To Talk To
Being someone your child can go to during this time is a great way to support them. Remind your child that you are here for them and frequently check in with how they are feeling throughout the grieving process. However, they may not always be able to fully open up with you or they may need more guidance to properly grieve. You may want to consider looking into grief counseling for them or family counseling to help the entire family get through this. Seeing a counselor can help them to better understand what is going on, as well as help to develop the tools they need to grieve.
Be a Role Model
When your child is figuring out how to respond to a loss, they are going to look at how you handle it first. When telling them the news, you don’t want to be crying uncontrollably, but it is okay to be emotional. You want your child to know that it is okay and natural to cry after losing someone they love. Being open to talk about it will show them that it is important to express their feelings.
Have Patience
Facing the death of a loved one for the first time can be a very difficult experience for a child. During the time after, make sure to be patient and understanding of their behavior. Your child, even if they were previously well-behaved, can start to act out in school or against you at home.
Make sure to put yourself in their shoes and try to understand how hard it can be for them when they have never gone through a similar situation before.
Losing a loved one is always difficult, but can be especially confusing and overwhelming for a child. Your child, with your support and guidance, will get through this time but be sure to remain patient as it may take longer for them than expected.
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