When children experience grief—whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a pet, or a major life change—they often don’t have the words to express what they feel. As parents, our instinct may be to fix things, but what children truly need is for us to hold space for their emotions. By being present, listening without fixing, and creating an environment where all feelings are welcome, we help them learn that love and safety exist even in sadness.

Grief doesn’t go away when it’s ignored—it just grows more confusing and overwhelming.

navigating anticipatory grief, the emotional experience of knowing a significant loss is approaching—can be overwhelming for children.

Encourage your child to express their feelings through talking, drawing, or even playing.

By holding space for your child’s grief, you give them the gift of feeling seen and heard.

When a child experiences grief, it can look very different from how adults navigate loss.

Grief is the natural reaction to loss. Grief is both a universal and a personal experience. Individual experiences of grief vary and are...

This blog post is the condensed version of my why for The Child and Parent Resilience Blog.