All Blog Postings by Mary
Tips For Helping Children
By Mary Francis · Originally published: August 4, 2013
Archive notice: This is a historical post from Mary’s years of blogging. Some older posts may mention products, courses or shop items that are no longer available, as Mary now focuses her time and energy on supporting widows inside her private Facebook community. The guidance and stories remain here as a free resource for widows.
For current ways to connect with Mary’s work, you can:
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.
