Helping Children With Grief
Teenagers and children express their grief in several different ways. While some may express sadness and verbalize their emotions like most adults, some may instead show occasional pain for short periods. Depending on their ages, children may also complain of physical discomforts, such as headaches or stomach aches, or they may be experiencing challenges in activities that once gave them joy and comfort, such as school or sports. Be Honest The National Alliance for Children's Grief encourages discussing the tragic event of death with your child in a simple, direct, and age-appropriate manner. For example, Cancer.net states that infants under the age of two do not understand the concept of death but understand that there is a separation involved between them and their deceased loved one. School-age children (ages 6 to 12) realize that death is a final state; they understand that death happens to everyone and can't be avoided and may experience guilt, shame, and anxiety about