How to Help a Sibling with the Loss of a Brother or Sister
06:05
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2 years ago
"We knew it was going to be rough, but we didn't just get up and aimlessly go through our day. If somehow we could make a plan and go somewhere, or have someone her, or plan the day our, for some reason, it worked," says Cathy James, co-author of The Journey Is More Than the Destination.
Many children do not know how to cope with the loss of a brother or sister. They cannot find a way to deal with their unbearable grief, feeling alone and lost.
There are proactive strategies you can take to lead your child through the pain he or she is feeling.
Have a plan for the days that are the hardest: your lost child's birthday, holidays, or the anniversary of the loss. Whatever day is coming up, make a plan to do something on that day as a family.
Establish catch phrases and code words for you and your children to use. If any of you find yourselves in a situation that, for some reason is emotionally unbearable, just mention the code word. You can all turn around and leave together, no arguments, no forcing.
Accept non-salvageable days. Your children may have days when they miss their sibling terribly. They may do poorly in school or a sporting event. Let them know that some days will be like that and that is okay
Employ these proactive coping tools to help you and your children get out of unbearable situations. There will be good days and bad days, but helping each other makes them a little better.
About the Author:
Dr. Proactive, Randy Gilbert enjoys producing the "Inside Parenting Success" show hosted by Jodie Lynn. She presents her insightful interview with Frank and Cathy James (TheJourneyIsMore.com) based upon the techniques from their book, The Journey Is More than the Destination. You can hear the entire inspirational interview for free by going to:
http://www.insidesuccessradio.com/Guests/Cathy-James"We knew it was going to be rough, but we didn't just get up and aimlessly go through our day. If somehow we could make a plan and go somew...all »"We knew it was going to be rough, but we didn't just get up and aimlessly go through our day. If somehow we could make a plan and go somewhere, or have someone her, or plan the day our, for some reason, it worked," says Cathy James, co-author of The Journey Is More Than the Destination.
Many children do not know how to cope with the loss of a brother or sister. They cannot find a way to deal with their unbearable grief, feeling alone and lost.
There are proactive strategies you can take to lead your child through the pain he or she is feeling.
Have a plan for the days that are the hardest: your lost child's birthday, holidays, or the anniversary of the loss. Whatever day is coming up, make a plan to do something on that day as a family.
Establish catch phrases and code words for you and your children to use. If any of you find yourselves in a situation that, for some reason is emotionally unbearable, just mention the code word. You can all turn around and leave together, no arguments, no forcing.
Accept non-salvageable days. Your children may have days when they miss their sibling terribly. They may do poorly in school or a sporting event. Let them know that some days will be like that and that is okay
Employ these proactive coping tools to help you and your children get out of unbearable situations. There will be good days and bad days, but helping each other makes them a little better.
About the Author:
Dr. Proactive, Randy Gilbert enjoys producing the "Inside Parenting Success" show hosted by Jodie Lynn. She presents her insightful interview with Frank and Cathy James (TheJourneyIsMore.com) based upon the techniques from their book, The Journey Is More than the Destination. You can hear the entire inspirational interview for free by going to:
http://www.insidesuccessradio.com/Guests/Cathy-James«
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