Regardless of age, coping with the loss of a parent is incredibly difficult. What do you do when the person you have known since the day you were born is suddenly no longer in your life? Here are a few ways for people of various ages to deal with the loss of a parent:
Acceptance
When grieving the loss of a parent, remember it is typical to experience intense emotions like anger, sadness, loneliness, and helplessness, among others. Take the time to adapt to this change rather than trying to control it. Through acceptance, you can allow yourself to fully experience emotions without judging whether you should be feeling the way you do. Try to continue with your daily routine as much as possible, taking each day one at a time.
Take Care of Yourself
During emotional crises, many people forget to take care of their basic needs. Doing so only accentuates negative emotions. Along with keeping your routine as normal as possible, do not forget to take care of yourself.
Children and Tenns Dealing with Loss
Children and teens grieve differently than adults. They may not show outward signs of their sadness, and may instead express their grief by drawing pictures of the parent that died, talking about that person, writing poetry, or creating other forms of art. Here are a few tips for helping grieving children and teens.
Honestly answer their questions. Young people may think the death of their parent was their fault. They may worry about who will care for them. Young children may wonder if the dead parent will come back soon. Spend time with grieving children and teens to learn about their experience. Honestly answer all of their questions.
About the Author:
Flora Richards-Gustafson is a freelance writer who frequently writes for Valley of Life. Help your family grieve the loss of a parent.
Flora Richards-Gustafson