Teaching kids what to say to friends who've suffered loss

Kim Hamer, Widow & Founder of "Exactly What They Need", shares advice on how to teach your kids what to say to friends who have suffered a loss
Advice For Teaching Kids What To Say To Friends Who've Suffered A Loss
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Teaching kids what to say to friends who've suffered loss

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Teaching our children how to acknowledge their friend's crisis or tragedy can be very difficult, because often, we don't know what to say. So there are three things you can do. The first thing is to teach your kid that it's okay to acknowledge the other child's loss. "I'm so sorry for your loss. My heart breaks for you. I think about you every night. I cried for you." Those are perfectly good things to teach your child to say. The second thing you can teach your child is that they can't fix it and take it away, but they can make their friend happy, by just being themselves. No extra special treatment is needed. The last thing we can teach our children to do is that crying is not a call to actions. Many times when people cry, we want to give them a hug, whip out the tissues. We want to fix it. Often times, crying just needs to let go and just cry. This is just a great opportunity, when someone is crying, is just to sit and let them cry. They will be better in a few minutes.

Kim Hamer, Widow & Founder of "Exactly What They Need", shares advice on how to teach your kids what to say to friends who have suffered a loss

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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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