EP 46: Grief Series Part 2: Supporting Bereaved Children with Michele Benyo
In part 2 of Dr. Laura Anderson's grief series, she invites Michele Benyo to discuss how to support kids who have had a sibling die during childhood.
Little ones grieve differently and that grief moves with them through life. It is important to recognize that the way we explain grief to kids and the messages we give them can result in an unhealthy grieving process. Parents can benefit from understanding that grief isn't this thing to avoid. Dr. Laura and Michele share ways to approach these difficult subjects and big feelings with children.
Michele Benyo helps families heal and live forward with grief after the death of their child. With the Good Grief Parenting Approach parents get in touch with their parenting wisdom so they can be confident that they are helping their bereaved young child grieve well and can be hopeful about a future for their family bright with possibilities and even joy.
What You Will Learn:
Recognizing how little ones grieve and how a sibling loss affects them
Grief is good
Tell your child when you're missing this person, open that conversation
What children need is information, true and child appropriate - honest information
Kids have big feelings that need to be acknowledged
Sometimes you can't make them feel better - they need to understand that you can go through the emotion together even if there is no way to make the big feelings go away
Modeling how to take care our ourselves - empowering agency
Notice the way we talk about death
Making sure they understand this isn't the their fault
Specific tips for how to support kids and talk them through grief of any kind
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