Coping With the Death of a Child
Comfort for grieving parents
This year is my son's 6th yahrzeit. I can't believe so many years have gone by. I remember the day he passed; seems like yesterday. It's winter now, and the cemetery grounds are covered under a blanket of pristine, white snow. Winter has a way of muting sharp edges—of trees, of stones, of grief. And... Continue Reading →
For the first few years after my son Jacob passed away, it was difficult for me to look at his picture or touch the few things he left behind. The wallet, the souvenirs from school trips, school yearbooks, the knick-knacks from his vacations, the Mother's Day and birthday gifts he gave me. All this was... Continue Reading →
I was thinking about my child more than usual recently. Not having enough distractions keeping me busy, I thought of Jacob. Five years after his passing, the tears still flowed. That nagging question keeps coming back: How can you mend a broken heart after losing a child? Will I ever live a normal life? I... Continue Reading →
Sometimes I find myself speaking to another parent who recently experienced the loss of a child. I lost my child five years ago, but how do I comfort someone whose loss is very fresh? What do I say to another grieving parent? Different Emotional Dynamics of Child Loss First, let's look at the different emotional... Continue Reading →
Child loss is an unimaginable pain. Whether it’s the heart wrenching experience of miscarriage, losing an infant, a small child, an adolescent, or an adult child, these types of losses evoke profound parental grief. However, parents react differently to different types of loss because each grief journey has its unique challenges. Also, society treats these... Continue Reading →
Yahrzeit, a Yiddish term meaning 'year time', is a significant observance in Judaism that commemorates the anniversary of a loved one's passing. This occasion provides an opportunity to reflect and remember the life of those we have lost. Yahrzeit milestones are key anniversaries that mark a special window of time from the first date of... Continue Reading →
A good friend recently lost her husband and suffers from acute grief. Knowing I lost my son almost five years ago, she asked: 'How do you do it?''How do I do what?' I asked'It just comes and comes. How do you deal with it?' She was asking me how to deal with feelings of grief.... Continue Reading →
When I started participating in a grief support group, several people talked about distraction as a tool for coping with grief. Some travelled on long vacations, others took short trips here and there just to get away. A few immersed themselves in their day to day work. At that time, my son's passing was so... Continue Reading →
A few months after my son passed away, a friend dropped off a gift for me as well as a small card. My friend was no stranger to loss and grief. Two of her brothers died in adulthood from illness. The card she gave me wasn't the standard Hallmark condolence card, but a card that... Continue Reading →
A person in my grief support group once asked what her child does in the next world. Is he just laying there, waiting for Moshiach and the Resurrection? On the contrary, our Sages teach that our departed child continues to look out for us from a place of eternal love and protection. Losing a child... Continue Reading →
The Jewish calendar mirrors life with ups and downs. A particularly challenging period for the Jewish community is the final two weeks of the month of Tammuz and the initial week of Av. This time period is known as 'the three weeks' during which our people have experienced numerous tragedies, including the devastating loss of... Continue Reading →
Before my son Jacob passed away as a young adult, I rarely heard the term child loss. Of course, I knew such things happened, but I didn’t know anyone who suffered through the experience. Child loss meant losing a child, and that was that. After I lost my own child, I realized that child loss... Continue Reading →
Coping With the Death of a Child 