“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' ... Because if you look for the helpers, you'll know there's hope.”
-Fred Rogers
As a parent, there may be no more challenging moment than helping a child through an experience of grief and death, especially after a traumatic event. Here are several resources including articles, information, and book suggestions to help you navigate these tough moments.
Informational Resources
From the Fred Rogers Institute: “When Someone Your Child Loves Dies, A Guide”
From the Child Mind Institute: “Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event”
From the Sesame Street Workshop: “Grief” (includes several clips from Sesame Street for children to watch)
Community Resources:
Your Child’s School: a guidance counselor, school psychologist, or other professional can be an excellent resource for navigating grief and loss.
A community mental health provider. Your pediatrician may have recommendations for local providers that they trust.
Text or call 988. Text or call at any time for emotional support for you or a loved one.
Books:
Books can be a fantastic resource for helping little ones to understand and process grief. Here are a few of our favorites:
The Dead Bird - Margarent Wise Brown
A Terrible Thing Happened- Margaret Holmes
Rudi’s Pond- Eve Bunting
The Purple Balloon- Chris Raschka
Goodbye Mousie- Robert H. Harris
For a more complete list of books, see this wonderful list by the National Association of School Psychologists.
