The harsh reality of life is that most kids will have to deal with the death of a grandparent at some point in their youth. It is a situation that’s completely out of your hands and one that parents cannot shield their children from. So, the best thing you can do is help them cope.
Ultimately, every child processes the news and its impacts differently. Still, several steps may be taken to help them with the immediate and ongoing challenges. I hope the following advice will support your family in this time of need.
Choose The Right Headstone & Get Them Involved
Following the death of a loved one, arranging a befitting send-off will be one of the first items on your agenda. Headstone memorials are your perfect chance to express the feelings of the family and celebrate the dearly departed. The right design and materials can also highlight something about them, like their religion, and will be set to last for many years. Allowing the kids to be involved in the decision can promote a more positive relationship with death.
They can also write a letter, draw a picture, or help choose flowers. Whether you decide to take them to the funeral itself or not, they can be involved in remembering their loved ones.
Encourage Them To Remember The Good Times
The death of a parent and grandparent is obviously very sad. While processing the sadness is vital, you should also take the time to celebrate their life and the memories shared together. For kids, that could manifest as drawing pictures and telling stories about the days out or sleepovers they had. It keeps the memory of their grandparents alive while artworks can also be used to brighten up the gravestone.
Photos and other homewares that celebrate the life of the grandparents or times spent together are great too. Not least because they united your family as one.
Listen
All kids will process the death of a grandparent in different ways. Therefore, actively listening to them is the best way to ensure that your answers support them correctly. If they want to talk about their feelings, you should be there to listen. Likewise, asking open-ended questions can be a great way to help them feel comfortable and confident talking about the issue. Bottling it up with confusion is never ideal.
Expert help may also be needed depending on your child’s age, history with their grandparent, and other factors. Sometimes, talking to an outsider is easier.
Keep Living
The death of a family member is big news that needs to be processed and will impact surviving relatives for life. However, life moves on and kids are particularly resilient. While your family needs time to digest the news, thinking about nothing else will cause additional strain. Kids should return to school as soon as you feel they are ready. Likewise, hobbies and enjoyable activities should be embraced.
Rather than being a distraction, they are proof that life can still be enjoyed. Frankly, it is also the best way to honour their grandparent, who wouldn’t want to see anything else.
Enjoy Them While They Are Here
Finally, if you are thinking about this because you know that death in the family will occur at some stage, be sure to live life to the fullest. Supporting elderly relatives to unlock a better quality of life will enrich your lives too. For the kids, it is an ideal way to keep building magical memories that they will look back on in later life. Besides, playing a more active role in your life is everything a grandparent wants.
If you maximise enjoyment levels when they’re alive, coming to terms with the loss may feel easier. For you and the kids alike.
Last Updated on October 28, 2024 by Lucy Clarke