Parenting the Surviving Siblings

When a child dies, even if the death is not entirely unexpected, each and all members of the family will experience a great loss. Although each will experience the loss in their own way, parents very often feel the added burden of having to manage the normal responsibilities of parenting their other children while dealing with their own grief. It is a lot to manage. There is good news: research has shown that each of us has the capacity to heal and children are very resilient. Here are some ideas to help you support your surviving children—and yourself. You may find that the more you see your children doing well, the more comforted and confident you will feel.

After reading this Guide, you will be able to:

• Understand how the surviving siblings may be experiencing grief
• Recognize natural responses to grief in children
• Support the surviving children, including talking with them about death and loss