Death is the inevitable consequence of life. Unfortunately, no amount of love or youth or goodness can shield those dear to us from dying or protect us from the trauma of loss. Whether it is the death of a grandparent, pet, parent, or someone else, anyone who lives long enough will experience death. Of course, some people experience the loss of a loved one earlier in life than others. Though the grieving process is unique for each individual, there are some distinct differences between how children and adults process grief.
As an information hub for the community, we are often asked for resources to help adults work through grief with children. You will find some quality resources listed below that can help adults and children work through and understand grief together. If there is a book or website that you have found helpful that is missing from our list, please tell us about it in a comment.
The following link contains books that will help you and your child on your journey to grief resilience:
The following links will provide information about helping children deal with grief:
- https://www.parents.com/kids/development/behavioral/helping-kids-cope-grief/
- https://childmind.org/article/helping-children-deal-grief/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/overcoming-child-abuse/201107/how-help-children-deal-loss
- https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Grief-008.aspx
- http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/030415p20.shtml
At HopeWest, we often use: When Dinosaurs Die by Brown, Lifetimes by Laura Dower, Help for the Hard Times by Earl Hipp and I Will Remember, which is a good book for teens.
Always and Forever by Alan Durant is a beautiful children’s book about forest animals and their loss of a friend.