Grief and Your Child

When your child faces the loss of someone close, their world no longer feels safe. Grief and its aftermath take us all by surprise, but even more so children, who don’t have the words or tools to face grief and can respond with fear, withdrawal, and other behaviors. How do you help your child with their fear and sadness, especially if you are also grieving? How can you help them see that God is both big and loving?

Counselor Bob Kellemen helps parents understand the challenges their child is facing and guides them in how to navigate with their child the long and difficult road of lament and recovery. Giving a child permission to grieve, practicing lingering listening, and sharing your own struggles and Scripture are all part of the process. As parents help children experience their grief face-to-face with Christ, they will discover that understanding his compassionate comfort is key to finding healing and hope. Because of Jesus’s resurrection, they can have the reassurance that life triumphs over death.