Navigating Grief - A Guide for Parents, Talking to your children about death - Emotional Safety in Grief Conversations

On this episode, Kelly and Amy Mack explore the complexities of discussing grief and death with children. They emphasize the importance of clear communication, emotional honesty, and age-appropriate explanations. 

Amy shares insights from her experience as a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist, highlighting how children understand and process grief differently at various developmental stages. The discussion also covers the significance of normalizing grief within families, managing personal grief while supporting children, and the value of creating concrete grieving rituals to help children cope with loss. She emphasizes the importance of child-led activities to help children connect with their feelings and memories of lost loved ones, whether they are pets or family members. 

The conversation also covers how to navigate difficult topics such as miscarriage and current events that may frighten children, providing strategies for parents to support their children through these experiences. Additionally, Amy shares resources available for grieving families, highlighting the significance of community support during such challenging times.

Local Grief Support Services for Children

1. HOPE for Bereaved (Syracuse, NY)

2. Hospice of Central New York & the Finger Lakes (Liverpool, NY)

3. Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. (New Hartford, NY)

Recommended Children’s Books on Grief & Loss
General Grief and Death
 The Invisible String – Patrice Karst
 The Memory Box: A Book About Grief – Joanna Rowland

Loss of a Grandparent
 Nana Upstairs & Nana Downstairs – Tomie dePaola
 Grandpa’s Stories – Joseph Coelho

Loss of a Pet
 The Tenth Good Thing About Barney – Judith Viorst
 When a Pet Dies – Fred Rogers

Miscarriage, Infant Loss, or Sibling Death
 Something Happened – Cathy Blanford
 Always My Twin – Valerie Samuels

Sad or Scary Events / Community Grief
 A Terrible Thing Happened – Margaret Holmes
 Come With Me – Holly McGhee

Online Tools & Videos for Children
Sesame Workshop provides excellent digital tools for young children to navigate grief and traumatic events.
• Grief Resources
• Violence and Traumatic Events

Articles by Liana Lowenstein, MSW, RSW, CPT-S
Liana Lowenstein is a Registered Clinical Social Worker, Certified Play Therapist-
Supervisor, and Certified TF-CBT Therapist who has worked with children and families since 1988. She is an internationally known author, trainer, and supervisor in the field of child mental health. Below are helpful articles she has written for supporting grieving children and families:
 Grief: How to Help Children Cope
 Bereaved Children: Guidelines for Parents
 Helping Children Through Separation and Divorce
 Helping Children Cope with Terminal Illness
 How to Help Grieving Children
 Helping Children After the Suicide of a Loved One

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