This November, as we mark Children’s Grief Awareness Month, advocates across the country are rallying our communities to “flip the script” on children’s grief. The WARM Place is of course participating in these efforts. We know that many traditional expressions of sympathy can be unhelpful or even hurtful to grievers. Join us as we inform, encourage, and support individuals in this journey to comments that support instead of hurt.
Recent statistics from the JAG Institute’s 2023 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model Report point to the prevalence in communities across the country: 1 in 12 children in the United States will experience the life-altering loss of a parent or sibling by age 18. In 2021 alone, this translated to nearly 1,200 children bereaved daily, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and support for those navigating the complexities of childhood grief.
Children’s Grief Awareness Month encourages us to recognize the need for support for these children and their families. It prompts us to make our society more grief-informed, where compassion and understanding become the norm. National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG) CEO Vicki Jay shared, “Children’s Grief Awareness Month is a critical time for us to come together and address the pressing issue of childhood grief. Our goal is to provide simple yet impactful tools and resources that empower individuals to offer comfort and support to children who are grieving.”
To learn more about how you can make a difference and access critical resources, we encourage everyone to follow #FlipTheScript on social media. Throughout the month, leading up to Children’s Grief Awareness Day on November 16, we will be sharing resources and tools to help #FlipTheScript and provide helpful ways to support someone in your life who is greiving the death of a loved one.
We will also be hosting a FREE Webinar Workshop on Thursday, December 14th that will provide helpful information to support children and families grieving the death of a loved one, discuss strategies in supporting others who are grieving, and explore traditions and activities that families have found meaningful during the holiday season. Click here to register today! By coming together as a community, we can truly change the narrative on childhood grief.
