Following the death of a loved one, there are many firsts. One of the most difficult firsts can be the holidays or special days for the family.  The following are some thoughts on how to help your family cope through the holiday season.

Caring for Grieving Children

1. Prepare children for changes in routine. It is perfectly acceptable to make changes in holiday routines, perhaps even preferable, but remember to prepare children well in advance for changes to holiday traditions.
2. Include children and teens in planning. A family meeting to decide what changes will be appropriate for celebrating the holidays can alleviate a child’s feeling of being left out.
3. If a child appears to need extra reassurance during the holidays, remember they may have feelings of sadness, guilt, etc. that they are struggling with.
4. Children may “regress” (find comfort in earlier behaviors) during the stress of the holidays.
5. Children need opportunities…