The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide [Paperback]

Helen Fitzgerald (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1992

Making a Child's World Whole Again

Explaining death to a child is one of the most difficult tasks a parent or other relative can face. The Grieving Child offers practical, compassionate advice for helping a child cope with the death of a parent or other loved one. Parents of children from preschool age to the teen years will find much-needed guidance, covering:

• Helping a child visit the seriously ill or dying

• Using language appropriate to a child's age level

• Selecting useful books about death

• Handling especially difficult situations, including murder and suicide

• Deciding whether a child should attend a funeral

With a new chapter devoted to the special issues of the bereaved toddler, The Grieving Child provides invaluable suggestions for dealing with a child's emotional responses (including anger, guilt, and depression) and helping a child adjust to a new life.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This excellent book, written by the director of a grief program in a community health center, is intended as a guide for parents seeking to explain the death of a parent, relative, friend, or even a pet to a child. The book's format employs a paragraph numbering system, which allows readers to turn to relevant information easily. All subjects are listed in the table of contents and index. Suggestions are given for dealing with emotional responses and helping in the child's adjustment to a new life. Fitzgerald believes in using a clear, direct approach when explaining death to a child, yet her tone is gentle and loving. Recommended for most parenting collections.
- Jan Wiedemann, Vernon, Tex.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D. From the Foreword A primer for parents in helping their children through the process of grief.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone; 1 edition (July 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671767623
• ISBN-13: 978-0671767624
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a perfect book for any adult helping children to cope, January 23, 2000

By 

sue kearney (Boston, Mass) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide (Paperback)

As a child therapist I highly recommend this book to professionals and parents. It is a simple to read guide for any adult helping children cope with the death of a loved one. Due to the fact that the adults can also be dealing with the loss it helps to explain how children cope and ways to help them understand and deal with the loss. Children, unlike adults deal with things differently and parents often make huge mistakes in their attempts at protecting them. This book is clear in the ways that are helpful for children. I have used this book in my own practice to help the young patients and their parents.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saving Parents' Sanity, May 30, 2000

By 

[e-mail] - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide (Paperback)

As a counselor and professional speaker, one of the most frequent concerns I hear from parents with bereaved children is, "How do I keep sane and deal with my own stuff when I'm trying to help my kids?" In easy-to-read format, Helen Fitzgerald has provided a real gift.

The book is arranged in short "snippets" of information according to topics. The eight-page table of contents will help the reader find what he/she is looking for fast. This format makes the book highly accessible for parents who are most often also engaged in their own grief, and may, therefore, lack concentration for laborious pursuits.

Moreover, Helen Fitzgerald does not write as an academic researcher; she writes as one who has walked through the deep valley. Her husband died of cancer, leaving her with four children to rear--and to help through their own grief while overcome by her own.

Parents will find encouragement here. Through these pages, parents will learn what vital roles they play in their child's grief process. Whether using correct language, appropriately explaining the cause of a difficult death, making decisions about the child's participation in the funeral, or a thousand other issues, parents (and counselors, too) will find a real friend here.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thumbs up!, March 22, 2008

By 

R. Mcmahon "real mom" (WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide (Paperback)

After the death of my husband very suddenly and tragically, this book gave me much guidance and wisdom to grieve with my children. It had chapters pertinent to the different age ranges of my kids and I used several passages almost word for word in explaining my husband's death to our kids. It has now been almost 2 years since his death, and I still refer back to this book as my children grow and face new challenges. I had a huge stack of books for reference and I'm glad this one was on the top! An excellent resource!