Summer is here, and while there may be a lot to look forward to, those who are grieving may find it challenging to feel the same enthusiasm as summer events and holidays approach. Here are some tips to navigate the summer as well as an activity that would allow children to reflect on good memories with their loved ones.
Plan ahead
Planning can help lower anxiety and stress for both adults and children. Discuss as a family what you will and will not do and allow the children to have some input. This will help them feel a sense of control during an emotional time.
Set Boundaries
Don’t allow others to determine what you should or shouldn’t do.
Accept limitations
You may not be able to do all the things you’ve always done. Consider scaling back or changing something you all may have done in the past, selecting only activities that will be especially meaningful.
Ask for help as needed
If it feels right, allow others to help in concrete ways such as cleaning, cooking, childcare and running errands. People are often eager to help.
Cope with feelings as they arise.
It is natural for children as well as adults to experience a wide range of emotions while grieving. It is important to express and cope with feelings as they happen.
Engage in self-care
Summertime can be physically and emotionally draining. Allowing time to do things that you enjoy, or help you relax, can have a great impact on your overall emotional well-being.
Find ways to honor and remember your loved one
Sharing memories, writing about memories, and doing things in memory of your loved one can be a start. Below you will find an activity that would allow children to reflect on memories with their loved one.
An Ice Cream Cone of Memories
