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Losing a parent to cancer can be an incredibly traumatic, devastating, and heartbreaking experience for a child. It can have long-lasting effects on their development and future relationships. Supporting children who have lost a parent to cancer is vital for their emotional, psychological, and overall well-being.
Supporting children through their grief journey can help them develop resilience and adaptive coping strategies, enabling them to learn healthy ways to process their emotions, manage stress, and adapt to life’s changes. Understanding how to support children during this challenging time is crucial and can empower them to face future challenges and setbacks with greater strength and confidence.
Continue reading to explore ways to provide emotional, mental, and practical support to help a child navigate the emotional turbulence following a parent’s death from cancer.
Before delving into ways to support children after losing a parent to cancer, it’s critical to understand how children experience grief. Children’s reactions to grief vary depending on their age, emotional maturity, and circumstances of their loss. Some might express their emotions openly, while others may internalize their feelings and become withdrawn. Reactions can include sadness, anger, or guilt. It’s essential to validate their feelings and assure them it’s normal to grieve and that there is no “right” way to grieve.
Supporting a child’s mental health after losing a parent is crucial to prevent long-term negative outcomes. Unresolved grief and a lack of support during childhood can have long-term adverse effects on mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life. Providing support can help mitigate these risks and potentially prevent issues like depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and an inability to form healthy attachments later in life.
One way to help children process their grief in a healthy way is to encourage them to express their feelings through art, writing, or physical activities.
Creating an open line of communication with a grieving child is pivotal. Encourage them to share their thoughts, fears, and questions about the death of their parent(s). Using age-appropriate language, assure them it’s okay to feel confused or upset and that they can always come to you with questions.
Provide a safe emotional environment where a child can express their feelings without judgment. Be empathetic and patient when dealing with their emotions. Anticipate sadness and tears, but also make room for laughter and joy.
Following the death of a parent, maintaining routines offers children a sense of stability and normalcy. Continue regular activities like school, sports, and hobbies. In addition, reassure them that you will meet their needs and involve them in decisions that affect their lives to help them feel secure and valued.
If a child’s grief seems to interfere with their ability to function, or if they exhibit symptoms of severe anxiety or depression, consider seeking professional help. Child psychiatrists or counselors with grief expertise can provide valuable support.
Look through photos and videos or share happy stories about the deceased parent to help children honor and celebrate their life. In addition, consider creating a scrapbook or starting a journal of memories. Remembering the parent in these ways can offer comfort and provide a continuing connection.
Children who have lost a parent to cancer may feel isolated in their grief, perceiving their experience as different from their peers. Organizations like Kesem, which offers Camp Kesem and other year-round services, create an environment where they can connect with other children who have experienced similar losses, helping them realize they’re not alone.
Your generosity allows us to offer Camp Kesem and all other year-round services free of charge, so any child dealing with a parent’s cancer can begin to heal, regardless of their economic situation.
There are so many ways to give. Donations help Kesem change lives! You can help by participating in fundraising; donating through planned giving, donor-advised funds, or stock donations; attending or sponsoring an event; or shopping at our store. With your support, we can ensure that more children impacted by a parent’s cancer can feel joy, hope, and the magic that is Kesem.
To maintain a high standard of accuracy and reliability in the information provided to you, we ensure that our content is sourced from diverse, credible, and verified authorities like academic institutions and journals, reputable media outlets, government agencies, and recognized industry experts.
We're excited to launch a permanent collection of stories for our community to share.
