Children and Grief

Out of everything I read this week, the article on children and grief hit home the most. The article focused on the importance of dealing with death when relaying it to children and how they can benefit from the truth vs the half truth, or a lie when it comes to death. I lost my father the week before I turned 10. I remember coming home from school and there were a lot of people there. My step mom was crying and they told us to come sit down. She told us our dad had been in a horrible truck accident and had died. I remember instantly feeling numbness, panic, fear then becoming withdrawn. After that day I don't remember a lot being said about it and even during the funeral everyone being hush hush around us kids to protect us. What I needed was someone to talk to about it and to have my feelings acknowledged and my questions answered. i had nightmares for years and had reoccurring dreams my dad was still alive to then awaken and him still being gone. I totally agree with the importance of being open and honest with children when it comes to death. What I would like to see is more free support groups for children who have lost someone close to them especially someone so significant as a parent.