At some point in their childhood, the vast majority of children will experience the death of a close family member or friend 1,2 ; approximately 1 in 20 children in the United States experiences the death of a parent by the age of 16.3 We have discovered a few resources that may help families communicate openly with children about grief and begin healing together:
AYEINA: How to Introduce a Concept of Death to a Muslim Child
There are some great tips from ayeina.com on introducing the concept of death to a Muslim child. A few highlights we appreciated reading were the sections on making a gratitude list with your child and preparing your child for a funeral. Check out the rest on the website.
The Family & Youth Institute: After a Tragic Event Toolkit
Sometimes death can be a tragic event. Whether the person was killed in a car accident or another devastating circumstance, it’s important to have the tools you need to help your family heal. Read the tips and pointers that The Family & Youth Institute put together to here.
Sesame Street: When Families Grieve™ Toolkit
Sesame Street developed this bilingual multimedia toolkit to help families communicate openly about grief for healing and ease. Some of the video content and topics presented are sensitive, so we recommend that you preview any content before sharing with a child. The video below (which is also available in Spanish) is less than two minutes. This short video is a great conversation starter for families grieving with young children.
References
- Ewalt P, Perkins L. The Real Experience of Death Among Adolescents: An Empirical Study. Soc Casework. 1979;60(99):547–55
- Hoven CW, Duarte CS, Lucas CP, et al. Psychopathology among New York city public school children 6 months after September 11. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62(5):545–552pmid:15867108
- Mahon MM. Children’s concept of death and sibling death from trauma. J Pediatr Nurs. 1993;8(5):335–344pmid:8271155
