Information for Parents
Children and Adolescent Grief
1. Children need to be allowed to cry and talk.
2. In discussing death with a child, do not use the word "SLEEP"; be honest.
3. The circumstances of the death may need to be explained.
4. Allow children to have pictures of lost loved ones
5. Refrain from making any unnecessary changes in the child's life. Daily tasks are important to children who are greiving. They often feel safer when their outine is maintained as much as possible.
6. Children need to be told repeatedly it is not their fault (it was not anyone's fault).
7. It is important for children to attend funerals.
8. Children who experience loss through death often fear for their own lives and other family members.
9. Children need to be reassured that their physical needs (where they live) and emotional needs (care) will be met.
10. Children should be allowed to talk about the loved ones when they are ready.
Additional Resources on Children's Grief
- American Academy of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry- Children and Grief
- About. Com – Children and Grief
- National Center for Victims of Crime – Children's Grief
Internet Safety
An important part of letting your son or daughter use the Internet is making sure they understand the potential dangers. Microsoft security recommends taking the following 10 steps to ensure your child will be safe while using the Internet.
10 Things You Can Teach Your Kids to Improve Internet Safety
1. Encourage your kids to share their Internet experiences with you. Enjoy the Internet along with your children.
2. Teach your kids to trust their instincts. If they feel nervous about anything online, they should tell you about it.
3. If your kids visit chat rooms, use instant messaging (IM) programs, online video games, or other activities on the Internet that require a login name to identify themselves, help them choose that name and make sure it doesn't reveal any personal information about them.
4. Insist that your kids never give out your address, phone number, or other personal information, including where they go to school or where they like to play.
5. Teach your kids that the difference between right and wrong is the same on the Internet as it is in real life.
6. Show your kids how to respect others online. Make sure they know that rules for good behavior don't change just because they're on a computer.
7. Insist that your kids respect the property of others online. Explain that making illegal copies of other people's work—music, video games, and other programs—is just like stealing it from a store.
8. Tell your kids that they should never meet online friends in person. Explain that online friends may not be who they say they are.
9. Teach your kids that not everything they read or see online is true. Encourage them to ask you if they're not sure.
10. Control your children's online activity with advanced Internet software. Parental controls can help you filter out harmful content, monitor the sites your child visits, and find out what they do there.
Additional Resources on Internet Safety
- Microsoft – Age-Based Guidelines for Kids Internet Usage
- American Academy of Pediatrics – Safety Net
- Stay Safe.org
Cyberbullying
"About one third (32%) of all teenagers who use the internet say they have been targets of a range of annoying and potentially menacing online activities – such as receiving threatening messages; having their private emails or text messages forwarded without consent; having an embarrassing picture posted without permission; or having rumors about them spread online (Pew Internet: Cyberbullying, 2008)".
"Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power or strength. Usually, it is repeated over time. Traditionally, bullying has involved actions such as: hitting or punching (physical bullying), teasing or name-calling (verbal bullying), or intimidation through gestures or social exclusion. In recent years, technology has given children and youth a new means of bullying each other (Stop Bullying Now, 2008)".
Additional Resources on Cyberbullying
Suicide Prevention and Awareness
Is your child experiencing any of these warning signs?
- Appearing depressed or sad most of the time (Depression).
- Feeling hopeless.
- Expressing hopelessness.
- Withdrawing from family and friends.
- Sleeping too much or too little.
- Feeling tired most of the time.
- Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight.
- Making statements about death or dying
- Writing notes or poems about suicide or death.
- Acting compulsively.
- Losing interest in most activities.
- Giving away prized possessions.
- Writing a will.
- No sense of humor.
- Facing a perceived "humiliating" situation.
- Facing a perceived "failure."
- Feeling excessive guilt or shame.
- Acting irrationally.
- Being preoccupied with death or dying.
- Behaving recklessly.
- Irritability
- Frequently complaining about headaches, stomachaches, etc.
- Neglecting personal appearance.
- A dramatic change in personal appearance.
- A dramatic change in personality.
- Performing poorly at work or in school.
- Abusing alcohol or drugs.
- Inability to concentrate.
If you child is experiencing some of these symptoms or you are even slightly concerned they might be suicidal, please contact us at (614) 555-0000.
Additional Information on Suicide Prevention can be found here:
Disclaimer
This is NOT a real bereavement service provider. Please contact the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization or the National Hospice Foundation to find a hospice organization near you.
To view Developing an Online Community for Grieving Adolescents project here.