 | The mental health of dealing with grief is not denial of the tragedy, but
the frank acknowledgment of painful separation.
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| Allow the child to discuss the crisis
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| Talk in a quiet, honest, straight forward way to encourage further
dialogue
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| Begin at the child’s level and remember that your attitude is more
important than your words.
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| Allow the child to give vent to his emotions of grief
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| Anger, tears, despair and protest are all natural reactions to the family
reorganization
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| Encourage the child to discuss his innermost fantasies, fear and feelings
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| The child needs to talk, not be talked to
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| Give the child every opportunity to reminisce about the absent parent
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| Let him/her know it’s okay to express anger as well as affection
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| Do not close the door to doubt, questioning and difference of opinion.
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| Repressing the child’s effort to find meaning in a time of acute stress
can be very damaging.
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| Respect the child’s personality, for in the long run it is he who must
find his own answers to the problems of life, death and loss
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| Talking to the child about loss is often complex and disturbing.
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| Seeking help is not an admission of weakness, but a demonstration of
strength and love.
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| The real challenge is not how to explain loss to your child, but how to
understand and make peace with it yourself. |