Having to help your child through grief is one of the hardest things a parent or guardian has to do. No one wishes that experience on anyone, and no one dreams that they would have to deal with such a sensitive matter with their children. It is even more complex because child bereavement may happen concurrently with parent bereavement. Child bereavement is a fundamentally different experience, especially for younger children, as they have not fully developed emotionally. Therefore, they may not know what is going on, and it may take a longer time to come to terms with their grief and understand their feelings.
As a Memorial Jewellery brand, we have shared a few things you may wish to know about child bereavement.
The whole process is different
In adults, there is a series of stages of grief that they go through as they deal with grieving. But in children, there is no established way to go through this suffering, and they may jump back and forth through the stages as they go through the process.
The emotional process is different
Some children may express their emotions differently than the way adults may expect. They may be sad one minute and then a normal kid the next. It is all a part of the grieving process that they go through. One customer has told us that they gave their child a piece of our Photo Jewellery for their child to show to them when they felt sadness or other emotions associated with the grief. This Photo Necklace allowed the child an easier way to communicate their feelings without using words.
Tell them honestly about the loss
It is important to be open and transparent about a loss. If you try to hide something from your child, they can sense that. Opening up about feelings is one of the most important things you can do as you navigate the bereavement process. One of the most common shared experiences between parents and children is the loss of a pet. No matter how old your child is, you must be honest with them about what has happened to their furry family member so they can process their grief accordingly. You may even wish to gift them an item of Paw Print Jewellery to allow them to have something to hold when they would usually go to cuddle their pet.
Support Your Child Through Bereavement
As you deal with your bereavement process, it is important to help your child with theirs. It is important to remember that they may experience things differently than you do and that it is okay and normal. Children can become easily confused if you talk about the fact that someone that they love is not coming back. But as they deal with their own emotions, encourage them to talk about them with you by sharing your feelings. If they can see the adults in their life talk about it, they will feel more comfortable sharing their feelings too. The best thing you can do is to approach the situation with care.
