Losing someone or something we’re close to can be a painful experience at any age. It can sometimes feel like life without that person or thing is impossible, and grieving takes time.

And while we can’t always control what happens to our families and the challenges we face, there are lots of positive things that you can do to help kids cope with loss, change, grief, and stress.

Children need lots of reassurance and support from caring adults to help them come to terms with what has happened. While grief is a normal reaction to loss, feelings of anxiety or sadness may be intense and long-lasting – especially following the death of a close family member, or when families are dealing with traumatic circumstances.

Other losses may include:

• the death of a family member, friend, or pet
  
• separation of parents and family break-up
• change of schools or moving to a new house
• loss of a friendship
• relocating to a new community, city, or country
• having a disability or medical condition
• the end of a young person’s relationship
• having a family member in hospital for a long time.

Common grief reactions can include:

• crying
• being anxious
• having bad dreams
• clinging to parents or guardians
• anger
• irritability
• unsettled
• losing motivation for school and other activities.
• Sometimes kids show their distress by behaving in ways you would expect from a younger child. For example, they might start wetting the bed at night, sucking their thumb, or using baby talk.
• Remember that children might not always be able to articulate their emotions. By observing their behaviour and gently inquiring about it, you can often get a clearer picture of how they’re feeling.

Visit Beyond Blue Healthy Families here to explore tips to help your child if they are experiencing loss and grief.