April 15, 2011
Food For Thought Friday: Grief, Death, Loss, and Your Kids
Head over to Keeping Her Cool where today Colleen writes about helping her kids understand death. Though as a topic of discussion with your kids it ranks right up there with ‘the birds and the bees,’ it’s unavoidable. Preparing yourself to have that honest chat will make it easier for you and more meaningful for them. Here are a few of our favorite resources to help you talk to your kids about grief, death, and loss. But remember, sometimes it’s okay to simply say, “I don’t know.”
• “How to Help Your Child Grieve.” An article by Focus on the Family. Click here. (This article also links to several more helpful resources.)
• Sometimes your children help you walk through the dying process. Two great articles–Click here and here.
• Children’s Books:
Heaven for Kids by Randy Alcorn
Children Also Grieve—Talking About Death and Healing by Linda Goldman
Talking With Children About Loss by Maria Trozzi
Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope When a Special Person Dies by Janis Silverman
Another great idea is to make a Shutterfly photo book for your kids that features pictures of the person who died. You can select your photos and add captions. This gives your child something tangible to see and hold and opens the door to healthy conversation. Click here.
How have you handled this subject with your own kids? Share your tips and stories in the comments below!
