Teach Your Children How To Handle Grief

Growing up is not always fun, frolic and laughter. There comes a time where children may have to witness family fights and separation, serious illnesses, and at times, even death. Calamities that can disrupt the normal routine of their lives.

• Parents often shield their children from sad news for as long as possible, not realizing that this protective shield may leave their child unprepared for the unpredictability of life.

• A child can cope well with a disaster if he is mentally prepared to handle a crisis. So, help your children by letting them know what’s happening in and around the household.

• A child needs to know that if something bad or wrong happens to him or his family, he is not alone in experiencing it. There are others who are going through the same thing and therefore, understand what he is feeling.

• A feeling of “I care” and “I am there for you” can help a child whose life faces a sudden change. A sense of security from the adults around can help him cope with stress of any kind.

• A growing child goes through frequent mood swings which are generally short-lived. Sometimes it becomes difficult to distinguish between an impulsive mood swing or a long term misery. A little more effort to communicate on our part can help the situation in many ways.

• The more free our child feels to confide in us, the better or his chances to be able to handle grief or a crisis.

An essential pre-requisite for a growing child to feel secure in his world is his ability to handle grief. We should have an open channel of communication with our child.