The death of a grandparent can be a child’s first experience with significant loss. Understanding childhood bereavement symptoms and providing supportive tools can help children process grief in a healthy way. Using therapeutic resources, such as The Terrible, Super Sad Day, offers a structured and comforting way for children, parents, and caregivers to work through this loss.
Recognize Signs of Grief
Children may show signs of grief differently depending on age. Younger children may ask repeated questions, have nightmares, or display regressive behaviors. Older children may withdraw, show anger, or have difficulty concentrating at school. Observing child grief signs and using counselor-recommended grief books, like The Terrible, Super Sad Day, can help parents identify struggles and provide support.
Use Honest and Age-Appropriate Language
Explain death simply and honestly. Avoid phrases like “gone to sleep” which may cause fear or confusion. Reading therapeutic books for grieving children allows children to understand the loss at their developmental level. The Terrible, Super Sad Day provides language and examples to help children process the death of a grandparent in a safe and supportive way.
Encourage Emotional Expression
Grieving children need opportunities to express emotions. Activities such as drawing, journaling, storytelling, or memory-making help children cope. Child grief activities paired with reading The Terrible, Super Sad Day can guide conversations, allowing children to articulate sadness, anger, or confusion in a safe environment.
Create Meaningful Rituals
Honoring the grandparent through rituals, such as creating a memory box, planting a tree, or celebrating special memories, helps children process loss. Using The Terrible, Super Sad Day during these activities can guide reflection and discussion, offering comfort and understanding.
Provide Ongoing Support
Grief is a process that can include ups and downs. Maintain open communication, validate feelings, and use grief resources for children consistently. If signs of struggling persist—such as prolonged sadness, behavioral changes, or anxiety—consider connecting with a pediatric bereavement support professional. The Terrible, Super Sad Day can serve as a first-step therapeutic tool before therapy or alongside professional support.
Tips for Parents and Caregivers
Observe for child grief signs like changes in behavior, mood, or school performance.
Encourage conversations about the grandparent using therapeutic reading.
Engage in child grief activities to allow emotional expression.
Normalize feelings and provide consistent reassurance.
Connect with a therapist if grief reactions persist.
By combining age-appropriate explanations, child grief activities, and therapeutic reading with The Terrible, Super Sad Day, parents and caregivers can help children navigate the grief of losing a grandparent while feeling supported, understood, and safe.
Call 210.705.1749 today to connect with a therapist, or visit https://www.anscounseling.com/shop to purchase a print, ebook, or Kindle copy of The Terrible, Super Sad Day by Vanessa Valles LCSW-S, an effective tool to help children, parents, and caregivers work through grief.