When my husband died, my daughters and I went to stay with family. Within a few months, I put our house up for sale and purchased another home. As we made plans to move from my brother’s home into our new house, I realized it would be important for us to go back to the […]
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Children may not fully grasp the grief process; however, they understand it in a way that adults don’t. I learned more from watching my children and nieces and nephews grieve than I did from watching adults. We are often afraid for children to experience the pain of loss. As parents and adults, we understand how […]
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Families fracture and relationships end. That sounds harsh, but unfortunately, that reality is a very big part of our society. Often children are a part of the relationships that end and it takes incredible focus, patience, and understanding to ensure the kids don’t get caught in the crossfire. There is so much to consider from […]
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December 17th was my youngest daughter’s birthday. It’s another birthday to celebrate her, the accomplishments she has made in her life, the love she has given to all of us, and the gifts she has shared freely with the world. It’s also another birthday celebrated without her dad. In fact, it’s the 25th birthday she has […]
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No one wants to see a child hurt, especially me! But unfortunately, I have come to accept through personal experience that eliminating loss from life is not an option. And, that does mean children will be impacted. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau released Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2007, which estimated […]
Read More...Ritual and ceremony is an important way to mark milestones in life. Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, weddings, and graduations are events infused with ritual and ceremony. It’s important to mark holidays and “rites of passage” with celebration by taking time from our daily routine to do things differently. When it comes to a loved one’s death, it’s acceptable to […]
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“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Remember this saying we used when kids at school were taunting or belittling us? Well, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I am sorry to be the one to tell you… it’s a big lie! Here is my take on it, […]
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To be resilient means to be able to bounce back from a difficult situation. When people hold the perception that another is strong, they also assume they are resilient and no matter what comes their way, the person is able to bounce back quickly from the situation. This skewed way of thinking is often directed at […]
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Christmas is rich with tradition and filled with joyful festivities. People look forward to spending the holidays with family and friends, exchanging gifts, indulging in delectable treats and reminiscing about the good old days. On the other hand, for bereaved families, the tinsel, decorated trees, and angelic singing of Silent Night, are painful and constant reminders that a […]
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It is normal to fear that we will forget our loved one who has died, or that others will forget them. I promise you … you won’t. How could you? Sure, as time passes you may forget the smaller details, but the person and what they meant to you in life will not drift away. […]
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It is an honor to share my journey through grief with you. Although my story is that ~ my story~ it is important for me to acknowledge that many people shared in the losses that I share here. Each of us had a different experience and each of us grieved and mourned in a unique way. While I empathize and truly shared in the pain of others who were also affected by these tragedies, I can only speak for myself and share... READ MORE