Losing someone we love is a painful part of life, and helping our children deal with the tough feelings that come with it can be tricky. Grief is a natural response to loss in any form, not just a reaction to a death. For children, grief can be felt over the death of a person or a pet, the loss of a friendship or relationship, parental separation, moving house or school, and so much more. Each child feels grief in their way and it can change over time.
Even before children experience the death of a loved one, because they are naturally curious, they think about death. While adults might find it hard to talk about death, children are often ready to share their thoughts. Creating a safe space for these talks allows children to express their understanding and emotions, and helps them to trust their parents. Remember, it's okay if you don't have all the answers. Just being there and listening is the most important thing. There's no right or wrong way to grieve. You might hear people talk about the ‘stages of grief’ or the ‘grief cycle.’ These are common feelings that people who are grieving might have, including feelings of shock, anger, sadness, or gradual acceptance of living with the grief. Like adults, for children, the experience of grief is unique to each person. Children can go through periods of many different emotions and these can come and go over time.
Children can express grief in lots of different ways. This might depend on their age and understanding, their relationship with whom or what has been lost, the reactions of those around them, and their temperament or personality. Children might show an emotional response, such as feeling scared, worried, confused, or sad. They might feel some physical things like being tired, having trouble sleeping or eating, and feeling pain for no reason. Sometimes, they might act differently, like having a hard time paying attention, not doing as well in school for a little while, forgetting things, or acting like they did when they were younger (like wetting the bed, wanting to sleep with their parent, or sucking their thumb). They might not want to be with friends or do things they used to enjoy. Be patient and allow them space to express their grief.
It is undeniably difficult to watch your child grieve. Parents often have questions about how to support their children through grief. You should reach out to a grief counselor to assist with all the info you may need.
Source: Limerick Live
Commentaires