Helping Children and Parents Process Grief

Losing a loved one is devastating, and helping children process their grief alongside your own can be overwhelming for parents. Many times, parents don’t know the best ways to help their children through grief. Thankfully, there are many resources available, from mental health professionals you can speak with to books and articles to read to help you.

Houston Moms owner Meagan Clanahan recently sat down for a conversation with Dr. Kimberly Gushanas, PhD of UTMB Health, who shared invaluable information for moms helping their children navigate the grief process.

Grief Resources

Neither you nor your kids have to go through grief alone. These organizations are there to help your whole family during a difficult time after the death of a loved one.

• Bo’s Place HoustonBo’s Place exists to offer support and community to those who have experienced the death of a loved one. A non-profit, free-of-charge bereavement center, Bo’s Place offers multiple grief support services for children, families, and adults, and provides education and resources for those who assist people in grief.
• National Alliance for Children’s GriefIf you are supporting a child who is grieving, the professionals at the National Alliance for Children’s Grief are here to connect you to resources and local support. The alliance is a national organization of professionals dedicated to supporting children and the networks and communities surrounding them.

Articles for Parents to Help Process Grief

• Parent Guide to Dealing with Grief
• Helping your Child deal with Death 
• What is Traumatic Grief? 

Children’s Books about Death and Grief

Sometimes parents don’t have the right words of their own to help children navigate grief. Books can be an excellent source of just the right words in hard times. Here are a few great books for kids of all ages to help them process grief.

• All ages:
  • Everywhere Still
  • The Invisible String
  • One Wave at a Time: A Story about Grief and Healing
  • The Invisible Leash: An Invisible String Story About the Loss of a Pet
  • The Memory Box
• Elementary:
  • When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death 
  • I Miss You: A First Look at Death
  • A Kids’ Book About Death and A Kids’ Book About Grief
• Toddler/Pre-school:
  • Something Very Sad Happened
• Specific to a parent with a terminal diagnosis: Book Recommendation:  Raising an Emotionally Healthy Child When a Parent is Sick
  

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