For families

How to help the healing process

When we grieve the death of an important person in our lives difficult questions surface with astounding urgency. What do we say to the family? What should we do to show how much we miss this person? How and what do we tell our children?

Parents and caregivers often struggle with how to talk to their bereaved children. They worry about finding the right words, when to have such profound conversations and how much information to give their children.

It is helpful for children to learn how to think about, describe, and talk about their feelings. When adults assist children, they fare better and they are better prepared to cope with reminders of the deceased as well as making sense of the emotions and behaviors associated with grief. Balance is the key, even when adults express their own emotions in front of children. Honest emotions and unambiguous words help confirm the child’s feelings and grief experiences.


Father holding young son
Father holding young son

Family decorating a tree

Holding hands in grief
Holding hands in grief


woman shopping for life insurance online

Free Digital Resources

woman shopping for life insurance online

Talking about loss

When talking to children, it’s difficult to know how to phrase our answers about death.

How to discuss loss

Building a child’s resilience

After a death, the hard work begins. Children need to build resilience over time to help them feel better.

How to build resilience

Planning holidays after a loss

For bereaved families the death and absence of a family member is felt even more intensely during the holidays.

How to plan holidays
Father holding young son

Free materials for families.

Download brochures and helpful tools to share with loved ones.