Bereaved Children: A Support Guide for Parents and Professionals

So far every book I have seen by Earl Grollman is wonderful and this one is no exception. Having lost my mother to cancer when I was a teenager and now, as an adult, working with children who have experienced the death of a family member, this book is a great guide. It has everything from explaining death to children to spiritual and cultural differences of death. If you're a parent of a grieving child or a professional helping children, this is a perfect book.

Book: I Highly recommend this book for understanding grieving children. It helped me cope with what I was feeling, and with what I thought our boys might be going through, when my father in law died. The book is good for parents, teachers, scout leaders and youth workers. It contains over a dozen essays from religious, and medical specialists who deal with death and grief and children. Many religious and social concerns and perspectives are introduced. It is good for youth leaders because not everyone comes from your particular background and it helps you to understand where they might be coming from. It is written for an average parent or teacher to read. You don't have to be a Pastor or a Psychologist to get enormous value from it. Warning, however, it made me cry. That was part of the process too.If I can summarize the whole book in one short snippet- Every child is different, Expect some to be completely quiet and expect others to burst out laughing. Watch for the change. Don't dismiss their feelings, it will take time to listen-- a LOT of time-- it can't be solved in a 15 minute talk, but should be addressed at the child's schedule. Although the book is published by Beacon Press, which falls under the Unitarian Universalist Church, each of the chapter-essays are written from a different person of a different religious or social perspective. There is a chapter each on the Protestants, Catholics, Jewish, Native American, Inner City, etc. perspectives. Grollman was the editor of all the essays. Each essay is easy enough to read as a stand-alone guide.