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A Parent's Guide to Managing Childhood Grief

100 Activities for Coping, Comforting, & Overcoming Sadness, Fear, & Loss

About The Book

Help your child navigate feelings of sadness and loss with 100 unique, activity-based approaches that help them manage their childhood grief in a healthy and constructive way.

The loss of a loved one is a complex, confusing experience for a child to understand. Children may struggle to express, process, and manage their complicated and conflicting feelings, whether the loss is a parent, grandparent, sibling, or even a pet. So, what should you do to help your child process their sadness, loss, and frustration in a more healthy, positive way?

In A Parent’s Guide to Managing Grief, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how children grieve and what you can do to support them during their most difficult moments. From there, you’ll find 100 activities that you can use in a group setting, activities that you (or another caregiver) can do alone with your child, and ways to make the most of virtual interactions to support a grieving child. Explore activities like:
-Making a scream box
-Playing with clay
-Feelings charades game
-Making a memory bracelet
-And many more!

It can feel difficult to connect with your child as you process your own complicated emotions surrounding loss. Use these activities to help bridge the gap between you and your child and to help you both find comfort in a difficult situation. You’ll find all the tools you need to help your child (and even yourself) healthily process your grief and move towards happiness, understanding, and acceptance together.

About The Author

Photograph by Mia Isabella Aguirre

Katie Lear is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Registered Drama Therapist, and Registered Play Therapist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She combines creative play with research-based tools to help children, tweens, and teens cope with anxiety and trauma. Her hope is that children can work through big feelings after trauma, stress, or loss by using kid-friendly techniques that are as sophisticated and effective as what adults receive. When she’s not in her office, you might see Katie hanging out with her rescue kittens, listening to podcasts, or playing Dungeons and Dragons. Find her online at KatieLear.com. 

Why We Love It

“It’s a difficult topic for caregivers everywhere, but Katie Lear (a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Registered Drama Therapist, and Registered Play Therapist) handles the conversation with kindness and compassion as she helps readers navigate the challenges of childhood grief. After exploring what caregivers need to know about childhood grief to explaining how to create a safe space for the child, readers will find 100 activities to help with everything from exploring difficult emotions to keeping memories strong to looking forward to the future together.”

—Julia J., Editor, on A Parent’s Guide to Managing Childhood Grief

Product Details

Raves and Reviews

“Kids of different ages and genders grieve differently, and Lear shows you can help your child cope.”

The New York Times

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