Important reminders for parents and carers at this difficult time of bereavement for the family
• Keep the family together, while accepting as much help from others as you can.
• Involve the children where possible: they understand more than adults might believe.
• Make time to listen and talk with the children, who will need a lot of reassurance that they will still be loved and cared for. Consider setting aside a fixed time once a week and making it a pleasant ritual that includes a treat. This helps show children that you are still very interested in their activities.
• Remember cuddles.
• Stick to boundaries, rules, bedtimes and mealtimes (especially for smaller children).
• Try to be consistent with discipline, ie: the time you expect them to come in; they need to know you care.
• Let their school know you want to know when they are struggling, academically or otherwise.
• Use your family and friends for support and don’t be afraid to seek support for yourself from a GP/counsellor.
• Answer children’s questions honestly.
• Be kind to yourself, forgiving yourself for the times when the day is turbulent and chaotic and you feel that you are simply not up to the tasks expected of you.
• Realise that it’s OK for the children to see you upset – they learn how to grieve from the adults around them.