How To Help Children And Youth Experiencing Grief
Grief is natural. The expression of grief is valuable to children & youths’ minds, bodies and spirits. Grieving may involve periods of wailing, weeping, crying, sobbing, anger, quietness, shyness, withdrawal, avoidance, depression, mood swings, memory loss. Changes in behavior, interests, and school performance are to be expected. Children & youth need to grieve and to feel safe to express these emotions. Adults may mistakenly want to protect the child or youth from grief. It can be difficult for adults to be around children or youth who are grieving. Children & youth are often stopped from grieving by adults who are unable to grieve themselves and who can’t stand seeing their children or youth suffer. It is essential that children & youth grieve fully, which may take some time. Without help, unexpressed grief can negatively effect mental, emotional, and physical health. Withdrawal from life can result from incomplete grieving. Grieving deeply helps children & youth get over the pain of loss and get back to living fully more quickly. Some physical effects of unexpressed grief may stay in the child’s or youth’s body all of their lives. Unexpressed grief can contribute to becoming an unemotional, cold, and often insensitive/cruel adult.
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First, We Would Investigate |
Second, We Would Investigate |
For Long Term Support |
If grief is blocked/held in:
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On Our Own We Would Try: • Replace sodas, juices, sugars, fats, fast foods with water, veggies, whole grains, nuts, protein, fruit, slow food • Long Walks/Hikes • Nature • Bedtime Stories and Chats • Wholesome Pleasures • Back Rubs and Foot Massages • Pets • Less or No TV, Movies, Video/Computer Games |
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For Parents: • Be honest. Get help if you are not comfortable with the loss yourself. • Get support for your own grief. • Be patient. Grief often takes quite a while. Each child or youth grieves differently. • Try not to force anything. • Try not to deny anything. What is, is. This will help you support your child or youth. |
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• Allow the child or youth to keep crying until he/she is done. • Make lots of eye contact. • Have lots of physical contact. • Favorite comfort foods are good, however make sure that lots of water is consumed • Check out grief camps and local hospice programs. • If you are grieving as well, avoid alcohol and medications that take you away from your child or youth. You need each other. |
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Check out: www./medlineplus/bereavement; www.acestudy.org. |