Finding the words: how to talk with children and teens about death, suicide, funerals, homicide, cremation and other end-of-life matters

Description

Front Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Contents; Introduction; Mourning is essential to healing; Avoiding or suppressing grief is harmful-even to kids; Grief is a process, not an event; The tenets of companioning the bereaved; A note to you; Chapter One: Children's grief-why it's unique; Exclusive features of childhood grief; Grief through the ages; Helping infants and toddlers when someone they love dies; How children ages 3 to 5 typically respond to grief; How children ages 6 to 11 typically respond to grief; How children ages 12 to 19 typically respond to grief; The six needs of mourning.;With this compassionate book by respected grief counselor and educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, readers will find simplified and suitable methods for talking to children and teenagers about sensitive topics with an emphasis on the subject of death. Honest but child-appropriate language is advocated, and various wording and levels of explanation are suggested for different ages when discussing topics such as death in general, suicide, homicide, accidental death, the death of a child, terminal illness, pet death, funerals, and cremation. An ideal book fo. Front Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Introduction Mourning is essential to healing Avoiding or suppressing grief is harmful-even to kids Grief is a process, not an event The tenets of companioning the bereaved A note to you Chapter One: Children's grief-why it's unique Exclusive features of childhood grief Grief through the ages Helping infants and toddlers when someone they love dies How children ages 3 to 5 typically respond to grief How children ages 6 to 11 typically respond to grief How children ages 12 to 19 typically respond to grief The six needs of mourning. Chapter Two: Companioning children through griefHabits of a good companion Let him lead Be an observer Encourage questions Welcome her feelings Be patient Include her in ceremonies and conversations Finding the right words-guidelines on how to talk to grieving children Talk openly about death Share your feelings Be honest and direct Avoid euphemisms Teach what you believe Give inviting, loving nonverbal cues Attend to your own grief Chapter Three When a parent dies Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Seeking help for complicated mourning. Teenagers-ages 12 to 19Chapter Four: When a sibling dies Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Recognizing "griefbursts" Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 Chapter Five: When a grandparent dies Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 Memory work techniques What it means to die of natural causes or "old age" Chapter Six: When a pet dies Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 Chapter Seven: When a friend or classmate dies Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11. When death is sudden and traumaticTeenagers-ages 12 to 19 Chapter Eight: When someone dies by suicide Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 Stigmatized deaths: suicide, AIDS, homicide Chapter Nine: When someone dies by homicide or manslaughter Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 Finding the words when someone goes missing School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 Companioning when violent attacks happen at school or in the community Chapter Ten: When someone close has a terminal or life-threatening illness Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5. School-agers-ages 6 to 11Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 Chapter Eleven: When the child is dying Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 Chapter Twelve: Attending a funeral or ceremony Preschoolers-ages 3 to 5 School-agers-ages 6 to 11 Teenagers-ages 12 to 19 The language of funerals A final word Back Cover.