Bereaved Parents Awareness Month: 3 Ways To Support Others

Bereaved Parents Awareness Month is observed every July around the world.

It can be difficult to talk about grief, even though talking about it is beneficial to recovery. It is tragic when a parent has to bury a child. The pain is immeasurable, and parents grieving the loss of their children carry that grief throughout their lives. If you are a bereaved parent, it is important to remember that you are not alone.

This month, we want to provide support to parents who have lost their children and raise awareness about how many parents have suffered the loss of a child. Social support is more important when struggling with grief.

Here are three ways you can support a grieving parent: 

1. Be a good listener & offer support.

It’s normal to be at a loss for words when something like this happens. Even something as simple as listening can be extremely comforting. Here are a few other things you can say: 

• How can I help you right now?
• What do you need in this moment?
• I'm here when you need me.
• Allow me to do something for you.
• Offer to do small tasks and chores for them if you feel they might be finding it hard to cope with other aspects of their lives.

2. Do not say insensitive things.

Because many of us don’t know how to deal with grief we sometimes want to cheer up the griever.  Never say things like “time heals all wounds,”, “let go and move on,” “everything happens for a reason” and “God works in mysterious ways.” Also, avoid sentences that start with “at least” and “be thankful”.  This only makes the griever feel more alone and misunderstood.

3. Encourage seeking help.

Talk to the griever and encourage them to reach out to family, friends, and communities built around this issue for support. Support them in looking for a professional therapist. Seeking help is an important step towards healing.

Bereaved Parents Awareness Month normalizes talking about tragedy. Statistically, by the age of 70, 15% of American parents have lost a child. Losing a child is one of the worst things that can happen to a parent. Such an event can have harmful effects including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, marital disruption, and even premature death.

If you are a parent who has lost a child, know that you are not alone. For more resources visit: https://handtohold.org/bereavement/ for additional resources. You can also contact our Grief and Healing page at Vaughn Greene Funeral Services.

About Vaughn Greene Funeral Services: For more than 25 years, Vaughn Greene Funeral Services has been providing a ministry of care to Baltimore’s African American community. As a leading local, minority- and family-owned provider, we promise to provide our highest level of service and respect to families who entrust us to honor their loved ones. For more information about our funeral, cremation, memorial, repast, and grief counseling services, please call us at 410.655.0015 or visit us online at https://vaughncgreene.com/.

Leslie Holley, MA, LCPC, LPC, NCC is the owner of Healing-Circle, LLC. She is a Nationally Certified Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and an experienced presenter on mental health topics. We are honored to have Leslie help support our families needing grief support or hope and healing.

Sources:

• https://nationaltoday.com/bereaved-parents-awareness-month/
• https://perfectmemorials.com/guides/bereaved-parents-month
• https://handtohold.org/bereaved-parents-awareness-month/