Articles

by Eleanor Haleyhttps://whatsyourgrief.com/grief-and-sleep When my 5-year-old daughter is tired, it’s obvious to everyone but her. As far as she’s concerned, everything is awful. Nothing pleases her and nothing can possibly make her feel better. She pushes everyone away, while at the same time wanting to be coddled… And, let me tell you, holding her when she’s cranky is like trying to snuggle a porcupine. Come back when you’re a little less prickly, kid. Anyone who’s ever encountered a child probably knows...

by MrsTDJhttp://www.mrstdj.com . . . just wait until tonight, girl.  Mr. Womack surely put his heart and soul into those lyrics, and they’ve defined the weeks since my husband’s passing.  During the day, it’s a bit easier to fill my time because I’ve returned to work.  My head isn’t really in the game, but I’ve got a super supportive boss and great colleagues.  Outside of work, I’ve got Little TDJ, my family, friends and a village of others to fill the...

by Dougy Centerhttps://www.dougy.org It’s August which means many families are preparing for the start of school. When families are also grieving, this transition can bring a mixture relief, dread, excitement, and trepidation. Much like work for adults, children and teens spend a majority of their time at school, and they take their grief with them. For some children and teens, returning to school is comforting. They find support in the structure, familiarity, connections with friends, and the opportunity to focus...

by Eleanor Haleyhttps://whatsyourgrief.com I live catty-corner to two schools – a public middle school and a private boy’s high school. Each school has a different process for getting students onto their campus each morning. The middle school transports students in its traditional yellow buses, while the high school requires kids and their families to provide their own transportation.  As a result, every Monday to Friday morning, there’s a mini traffic jam outside my house. The buses roll up one street;...

A 2021 GUIDE TO ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA What You Need To Know, And What New Research Says.​ Reprinted with permission from https://www.toprehabs.com/alzheimers-dementia/ ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are two conditions that affect a person’s memory and ability to function in daily life. Although the conditions have some shared symptoms, each can affect the brain in different ways. Let’s examine the different dementia types, how alcohol abuse affects each, and risk factors. Defining Dementia Dementia is the umbrella term for...

by Litsa Williamshttps://whatsyourgrief.comNo two ways about it, Father’s Day is pretty much my least favorite holiday. In fact, I pretty much hate the month of June in general. My father spent his last Father’s Day unconscious and vented in an ICU and died the next week.Every year Father’s Day creeps up on me. When I realize it’s coming I start wanting to avoid, knowing darn well what a bad idea that is. I have given and taken advice for coping...

by Kelly FarleyWell, as much as I don’t like to think about Father’s Day, it’s kind of hard to ignore it.  All of the advertisements are in full swing on social media, websites, tv, radio and everywhere else I look.  It’s not that I am afraid of this day, I just don’t really know how to handle it.  I don’t have any living children to spend time with so I generally just spend quiet time with my wife.  Most of...

by Nancy Bernshttp://www.nancyberns.comThis Mother’s Day, I look forward to sharing it with my amazing daughters. They are the world to me, and I am honored to be their mom.I am also a mother to my son, Zachariah, who was stillborn 11 years ago. I share this post in hope that mothers who are grieving the loss of a child will find solace in knowing you are not alone.After encountering another mom at the cemetery one spring day, I wrote this...

by Angela Millerhttps://abedformyheart.com/ Child loss is a loss like no other. One often misunderstood by many. If you love a bereaved parent or know someone who does, remember that even his or her “good” days are harder than you could ever imagine. Compassion and love, not advice, are needed. If you’d like an inside look into why the loss of a child is a grief that lasts a lifetime, here is what I’ve learned in my seven years of trekking...

By Eleanor Haleyhttps://whatsyourgrief.com I have a daughter who is three years old.  She sees the world in a delightful way.  Everything is pink and sparkly. Yesterday she walked up to me with a skeptical look and asked, “Where is your mother?” Hmmm…I paused for a minute wondering where this question came from.  After a moment I simply responded, “she died”. “Oh,” she said “I wonder when she’s going to get up and feel better again”…and with that she waltzed away...

by Sue Ryderhttps://www.sueryder.org We all find it hard to cope when someone we love dies. Helping a child to cope with the loss of someone they love can be particularly difficult when you are dealing with your own grief. But there are things that you can do to support children through this difficult time. Just like adults, children go through a process of grief. And just as there’s no rulebook for being a parent, there’s no rulebook for how they...

by Nancy Bernshttp://www.nancyberns.com A beautiful pine tree, slowly dying, stood in our front yard. Realizing we would lose the tree brought sadness. My daughters enjoyed sitting on its low branches, especially when watching for their grandparents to arrive.  It was their waiting place. My eight-year-old daughter knew that the tree was going to be cut down. Still, when the day came, it was tough on her. A few minutes before we needed to leave for school, she went to the...