Remember that each of your children is unique and each has a unique relationship to the loss of their loved one.
Listen with your heart, not your head
Allow all emotions to be expressed, without judgment, criticism or analysis.
Recognize that grief is emotional, not intellectual.
Avoid the trap of asking your child what is wrong, for he or she will automatically say, “nothing”.
Adults – Go first.
Telling the truth about your own grief will make your child feel safe in opening up about his or her own feelings.
Be Patient.
Don’t force your child to talk.
Never say “Don’t feel sad” or “Don’t feel scared”
Sadness and fear, the two most common feelings attached to loss of any kind, are essential to being human.
For more information check out the book “When Children Grieve” by John W. James and Russell Friedman.
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