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NO matter how old you are, the death of someone close is a difficult experience.
Death can be more challenging on children. Adults push them away from the experience with the intention of sparing them the pain.
However, helping children to deal with loss by teaching them the basics can help them to heal.
This means having our own emotional houses in order about our own pain and loss. Below are a few tips to help you better support a child:
- Disclose immediately to prevent them from hearing it from external sources or social media
- Give honest explanation within their age and limits of understanding
- Label and normalise feelings by finding positive outlet for their feelings
- Create a memory book with them to preserve great memories
- Provide reassurance that you are okay and that they will be okay in time
- Allow them to grieve
- Take care of yourself
- Go for counselling.
There is no easy way to teach a child how to cope with loss. The best you can do is to equip them with skills by adopting positive coping behaviour in your own life.
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