Last week we posted about coping with the loss of a loved one. If you missed that post you can read it here. This week we’re talking about how to help kids cope with a loss because although this is often a harder task to take on for some adults, if you have children or even kids you care for regularly questions and decisions about how to handle something this delicate could come up.
The National Association for School Psychologists has a wonderful pamphlet on this exact subject. You can download it here, but here are some of the main takeaways from the piece:
– Tell the truth about the circumstances. Kids have a keen sense of awareness and will see right through any lies you may think are protecting them and leave them wondering why you weren’t honest.
– Encourage questions and explain to the best of your ability the answers to those questions. You don’t have to know all the answers and don’t get hung up on not being able to give them, just be there and try to answer what you can.
– Understand that like adults, loss is different for every child. Some children may not fully grasp what has happened and therefore don’t grieve at all. Others will understand completely and grieve for days on end.
– Like adults, kids dealing with loss may need support. It may not be easy to deal with and they may need longer term support than you do, but some children especially if the loss is of a parent will need help recovering.
– You might not be able to help. Some kids will need counselors and support groups. Others will just need time. Either way, just make sure they know you are there for them whether they want to talk, cry or just hang out together.
If you would like additional help supporting someone who is dealing with loss and wish to talk with a grief counselor about it, we invite you to call Hammond Psychology & Associates, P.A. at (813) 567-3253.