Supporting a child who has lost a parent

Kim Hamer, Founder of ExactlyWhatTheyNeed.com, a resource dedicated to help friends support loved ones after a crisis, shares advice on the best way to support a child after losing a parent
How To Best Support A Child After The Loss Of A Parent
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Supporting a child who has lost a parent

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There are some great ways that you can support a child that's lost a parent. The first thing you can do is acknowledge their loss. Loss isolates people. Children, especially, feel that this has not happened to anybody else. They need you to acknowledge their loss. Most children, especially in the teen to tweenagers, want to be treated normally, like nothing ever happened. The third thing is if you have had a similar experience; share that with the child so the child knows that they are not alone in the process. That you have done well in your life. The last thing is don't say to the child, "I've never been through that, so I don't know how you feel," because that will further isolate the child and make them feel like this is a horrible thing that has only happened to them.

Kim Hamer, Founder of ExactlyWhatTheyNeed.com, a resource dedicated to help friends support loved ones after a crisis, shares advice on the best way to support a child after losing a parent

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Kim Hamer

100 Acts of Love: A Girlfriend's Guide to Loving A Friend Through Cancer or Loss

Kim Hamer is the author of 100 Acts of Love: A Girlfriend's Guide to Loving Your Friend through Cancer or Loss, a modern, essential how-to guide offering tips on what to say (and NOT to say), and specific ways to support and love a friend, co-worker or family member who is coping with cancer, loss or any crisis.

Kim Hamer became a widow after her 44-year old husband lost his life to cancer. Their children were 12, 9 and 7 at the time. Before and after her husband’s death, friends and supporters came up with unique, creative and simple ways to help her family. She called them “acts of love” because it’s what they felt like.

Her book is a fun, straightforward compilation of many of those acts. The mission of “100 Acts of Love” is to help everyone understand and embrace their importance in the lives of their friend in crisis and to provide the tools and courage needed to support them in a truly meaningful and helpful way.

More Parenting Videos from Kim Hamer >
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