Helping Children Understand the Loss of a Loved One

Helping Children Understand the Loss of a Loved One
It is normal for parents to grieve the loss of a loved one. Doing so shows children how loss can affect us, and how to move through it. TijanaM/shutterstock
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Losing someone—a friend or family member—is a difficult time in our lives. It’s also an important time to think about how to talk to your kids. There are some important things you should be mindful of as you navigate this discussion.

Foremost, be honest and direct (avoid euphemisms) with your children. It is critical you adapt whatever you say to the developmental level of your child. Psychologist Jean Piaget (1896-1980) offers developmental markers to guide us.

Anthony Rao
Anthony Rao
Author
Dr. Anthony Rao holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Vanderbilt University and trained as a pediatric psychologist at Boston Children’s Hospital. For more than 20 years, Dr. Rao worked in the Department of Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital and served as instructor at Harvard Medical School, where he trained psychologists and physicians in the use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or CBT.
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