For families

How to help the healing process

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.