For the next several months, our Grief at Home column will focus on some of the most commonly experienced emotions in grief and how you can support your child through these emotions.

This month, we are highlighting sadness. Grief and sadness are deeply intertwined, and feeling waves of sadness after the death of a loved one is a natural and expected response. Sadness, like all emotions, can come out in many different ways—as tears, withdrawal, and sometimes even irritability. Maybe your child isn’t coping well, retreating into isolation, struggling with school and friendships, or displaying signs of depression. They may need some extra support to manage their feelings of sadness. We want to help you create healthy outlets for your child, to help them express their sadness in better ways. Try talking, crying, creating something meaningful, and encouraging and supporting your child and yourself in those efforts. 

Supporting your child in their sadness begins with creating a safe environment and modeling healthy emotional expression. Children look to the adults in their lives to understand how to manage difficult emotions. Therefore, showing them that it’s okay to feel sad, and that sadness is a natural part of life, can be incredibly powerful. You can do this by expressing your own sadness in healthy ways, like talking about your feelings or using coping strategies such as deep breathing or journaling. Also, encourage open communication; let your child know that they can share their emotions without fear of judgment.

By providing a safe space where your child feels heard and supported and modeling how to process emotions, you help your child learn how to navigate sadness in a healthy and constructive way. This will likely take some time, but being a steady, safe, example for them can make all the difference!