The start of a new school year is typically a time of excitement coupled with some apprehension about meeting new classmates, teachers and settling into new routines. For a child or teen bereaved by the death of a parent, caregiver, sibling, grandparent or friend, school may be a place where the support of caring adults, friends and extracurricular activities offer predictability and stability at a time when it feels like everything else has changed.
The Impact of The Pandemic
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought much uncertainty and many adjustments to the return to school which may create additional stress, worry and anxiety for any student and their parent(s). For a grieving child or teen, all these changes coupled with the unknown factors may intensify some of the feelings and emotions that occur following a death in the family.
Talking Through Changes
Every child and teen, grieving or not, will respond and react to the changes of this school year in their own way. If you notice that your child/teen seems anxious or worried, take a few minutes to check in with them. You could use these 3 questions to start a conversation:
- What’s the hardest part about all of this for you?
- Is there something I can do to help make it a bit easier?
- Can you think of one good thing about all of this?
Tips to Reduce Worries
Talk together about some simple actions your child/teen, and you, can use to relax and reduce worries;
- Breathe in and out slowly
- Tense then release different parts of your body
- Look for 5 blue objects around the room
- Think of a silly joke or something that makes you laugh, etc.
Remind them of the actions they have control of that can be used to help keep themselves and others safe: wear their mask, wash their hands, and practice safe physical distancing. Most importantly, tell your child/teen that you are always available to listen to their concerns, challenges, joys and successes.
Here is a series of printable resource sheets taken from our Resources Menu that will provide some guidance for teachers, parents & guardians at this time.
