Please see Children’s Grief Awareness Week: 17th – 23rd November 2022. Featuring Children’s Grief Canada and Grief and Grits which covers:
- Introduction
- Children’s Grief Awareness Week: 17th – 23rd November 2022
- Children and Grief with YouTube Video
- Children’s Grief Foundation of Canada
- Grief and Grits
- Antonio’s Thoughts
- Romero’s Thoughts
- Our Final Thoughts
- Our YouTube Video
© Copyright 2019 Grief Probate Journey Blog *PLEASE NOTE THIS INFORMATION IS SOURCED FROM UK and AMERICAN WEBSITES* It is also based on our own experience. *We are not experts in this field, we are speaking purely on our own experience with information sought from the internet to give further examples. *
1. Introduction
This week is Children’s Grief Awareness Week in the UK. Grief. This year we have guest features from Children’s Grief Foundation Canada, Grief and Gritz (Grief Educator and Author) and my nephews.
Grief….It is such an unpredictable thing. No matter the fact we know we will all pass on one day, it can never prepare you for how you will feel when faced with the loss of a friend or a loved one.
Our Blog was started in June 2019. We started it to share our story and to try and help others who might be going through something similar or might know someone who is going through something similar.
When we first became aware of this week in 2019 it suddenly dawned on us. For my nephews, (my sister’s sons) the loss of our Dad is their loss too. My eldest nephew had such a close bond with our Dad that we cannot really imagine what it was like for him at such a young age to have experienced this loss. He was only three years old at the time. My youngest nephew had only just turned one at the time so they didn’t have much time together (We have a topic on this).
Because of this realisation, we spoke about them a lot more on the topic. Since then they have started becoming involved in contributing to topics, and for this topic, they have shared their thoughts on grief as a child (Antonio has his own topic, and Romero has his own topic.
We feel it is important to continue raising awareness of this. The children are our future. Their health and mental health is very important. The impact the worldwide pandemic has had on them at such a young age. They experienced loss in many situations.
- No longer able to go to school
- No longer able to play with their friends
- Not being able to celebrate Birthdays
So many major changes, that were a lot for them to take on and adapt to.
Please see Children’s Grief Awareness Week: 17th – 23rd November 2022. Featuring Children’s Grief Canada and Grief and Grits:
2. Children’s Grief Awareness Week: 17th – 23rd November 2022
2.1 CGAW – Children’s Grief Awareness Week – Grief Encounter
(17th-23rd November 2022)
“Children’s Grief Awareness Day falls in mid-November each year, a global day designed to help us all become more aware of the needs of grieving children — and of the benefits, they obtain through the support of others”.
2.2 Children’s Grief Awareness Week
“We’ll need all the completed works of art by 9am, Monday 17 October 2022. As the Week draws closer, this page will be updated with more information, logos and …”
2.3 Go Purple Day Grief Encounter
“Children’s Grief Awareness Week was founded in 2014 to raise awareness of bereaved children and young people in the UK, and demonstrate how providing those”…
3. Children and Grief with YouTube Video
How can I help support a grieving child?
“A short guidance film from Child Bereavement UK”
“Child Bereavement UK provides confidential support, information and guidance to individuals, families and professionals throughout the UK. Our Helpline team is available to respond to calls, emails and Live Chat via our website 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday”.
“0800 02 888 40 helpline@childbereavementuk.org childbereavementuk.org”
3.2 How does bereavement affect a child’s emotional development?
Some common reactions include: Finding it difficult to talk about their feelings or wanting to talk to friends rather than adults. Feeling sadness, anger or guilt. Their emotions may be quite intense. (25 Jul 2022).
3.3 How children and young people grieve – Child Bereavement UK
“As concerned adults, we would like to be reassured that children are too young to feel the deep sadness and despair that grief can bring”.
3.4 Children and Bereavement – NHS
“Find out what to do and where to find bereavement support if your child has lost a loved one or has a loved one who’s dying”.
3.5 Supporting bereaved children and young people
“Children and young people grieve just as much as adults but they show it in different ways. Find out how you can help them and more about child grieving”.
3.6 Helping Children Deal With Grief | Child Mind Institute
(17 Nov 2021) — “Tips for families dealing with grief, from what parents should say to how they can help kids express their emotions in a healthy way”.
3.7 Grief and Loss | Parents Guide To Support – YoungMinds
“Your child, as well as you and other family members, may be grieving because of: the death of someone in the family, like a parent, grandparent or sibling; the”…
3.8 How to help bereaved children understand Grief |Winston’s Wish
(20 Jul 2021) — “It can be difficult for bereaved children to understand grief, so here is an easy way to help them understand what has happened to them”.
3.9 Grief Encounter: Home SUPPORTING BEREAVED
“SUPPORTING BEREAVED CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE. One child in every UK classroom will experience the death of”…
3.10 Peer Power: Home
“Peer Power is an EMPATHY-LED Social Justice Charity … Together, we work to heal trauma and adversity through caring relationships and by supporting the young”…
4. Children’s Grief Foundation of Canada
Children Grief Canada
“Children are often the “forgotten mourners” at the time of death. Without proper grief support, kids may struggle and experience mental health challenges and have difficulty coping with death in future”.
“We are a non-profit charitable organization that raises funds to distribute to Canadian registered charities that support grieving children and their families. We also raise awareness to educate others about grief, grieving children in Canada and how to support them”.
“Children are often the “forgotten mourners” at the time of death. Without proper grief support, kids may struggle and experience mental health challenges and have difficulty coping with death in future”.
“We are a non-profit charitable organization that raises funds to distribute to Canadian registered charities that support grieving children and their families. We also raise awareness to educate others about grief, grieving children in Canada and how to support them”.
“In Canada, the current healthcare system as a whole does not adequately resource and provide access to interventions that have the potential to reduce risk and promote well-being in children and youth adjusting to the loss of a loved one. That said, there are some organizations that provide children’s grief support. These organizations rely on community donations to carry out these programs. Many children’s grief programs in Canada are in urban areas. Families and children living in rural areas may not have access to grief support. Also, many programs do not run all year round due to a lack of funding. We work to reduce the financial barriers that children’s grief charities face. We help them to expand or develop new programs for grieving kids”.
“Since we have started, we have funded 9 programs across the country to date, including some in rural settings. In the last two years, there is more awareness across the country about children’s grief and more sharing of resources and information. We just closed applications for our Fall grant call and will be announcing recipients in the new year”.
Homepage – The Childrens Grief Foundation of Canada
“The Goals of the Foundation · To seek donations and support from caring individuals and organizations in the community. · To assist in expanding and creating”…
childresngriefcanada – Instagram
“1539 Followers, 470 Following, 272 Posts – See Instagram photos and videos from Children’s”
5. Grief and Grits
“The following is a story told to me by an adult who carries a little grieving heart inside their body. Please show them some love in the comments”.
__________
“My dad died when I was just 5 years old”.
“I looked like any other kid, happy and carefree, and in many ways I was”.
“The summer I turned nine, I left home for 8 weeks of sleep-away camp”.
“As far as I knew, I was the only kid at camp with a dad who was dead”.
“I was deeply hurting; silent; as I never spoke to anyone about my dad’s death”.
“I wanted someone to notice the stories I was creating in my head; how flawed I felt; how I compared myself to all the other campers; and how lonely I was holding the secret that my dad, had died”.
“One day while sitting by the lake, I began twisting my ankle with my hands, back and forth, back and forth, hoping to sprain my ankle”.
“I thought, if I could twist hard enough, I wouldn’t be able to walk and I would need crutches. Then, someone might see my pain”.
“I took myself to the infirmary where the nurse examined my foot and said there was nothing wrong with it”.
“She sent me on my way”.
“I walked away knowing once again, that my pain would go unseen”.
“Children may not use words when they are hurting”.
“Watch for signs, because they are there”.
“Listen. Pay attention. And you just might help one little griever”.
Community
Grief educator/author
Please share the teardrop in your heart and I will hold your heart, in mine.
6. Antonio’s words
I asked Antonio some questions about children and grief and these are his thoughts and answers.
We asked Antonio how he feels when we talk about our Dad. Antonio said a bit sad that he’s passed away. But good as well because it brings back memories. He thinks it is good for adults to talk about their loved ones if they were close to them as it means you could become more like them and be responsible like them when you are older.
I asked Antonio if he thinks it is a good idea for adults to talk to children about loved ones lost.
Antonio said he thinks if the child doesn’t want to talk about how they are feeling, the adult could do something they like doing to cheer them up.
I asked Antonio if he likes picking flowers when we go to the cemetery. He said he is a bit sad when we go there because his Grandad has passed away, that is he plays with his brother Romero to help him feel better.
Antonio thinks Children’s Grief Awareness is good because if a child is sad that their dog, sister, brother or cousin had passed away, the adult who is looking after them can ask them how they are feeling. They can talk about the person’s favourite thing to do (who has passed away) and then ask the child what their favourite thing to do, and then do that to help make things feel a bit more positive.
I asked Antonio if he thinks adults should not talk to children about people passing away. He said he thinks it would be bad because if someone passes away and they didn’t know what to expect, it could make the child feel sad, which could affect their mood and behaviour.
I asked Antonio if he thinks our Dad would be happy with what we are doing with the blog. He said yes, as it is about him, and it is helping people.
7. Romero’s words
I asked Romero some questions about children and grief and these are his thoughts and answers.
When I see pictures of myself and my Grandad it makes me sad, but it makes me remember. I remember me at my Grandad’s house.
Romero feels that for children if they lose someone close to them they can feel sad, and maybe even get ill. He said this because when you get sad, sometimes it makes you ill.
Romero feels that support from adults will help them. Romero feels that talking about the loved one and sharing memories with the child, can help, but also could make them sad, so this should be spaced out.
Romero thinks it is nice to celebrate a lost loved one’s birthday and visit the cemetery with family. He also said to be sure not to step on other people’s graves.
When we go to the cemetery, Antonio and Romero help to choose the flowers and help us to arrange them when we are there.
Romero thinks that our Dad would be happy with what we are doing with the blog because it is about trying to help people.
8. Our Final Thoughts
We hope this topic will be of use to those who read it. Please feel free to repost or share it.
Love and Hugs, Grief Probate Journey.
9. Our YouTube video
Grief Probate Journey 