Going Back to School After a Death

It is normal to be nervous about sending your child back to school after a death.  As a parent, it's in your nature to want to protect your child after a death.  If your family experienced the death of someone special this summer, there is a good chance you've been watching your child to see if they're coping and adapting well.  If possible, you may have spent extra time over the summer coping together as a family.  Maybe you've even been spoiling them a bit, trying to make the pain in their life just a little bit more tolerable.

As much as you may want it to, the extra time and coddling can't (and shouldn't) last forever,  so the back to school transition may provide an opportunity to ease back into regular patters of interaction with friends, teachers, and school counselors.  For many children, a return to "normal" life will be helpful and uncomplicated, while other might need a little extra help readjusting to the school environment.  In this episode of the What's Your Grief Podcast we discuss a few ways you can help to prepare your children for returning to school and to work with their teachers to ensure they have the support they need both at home and in school.