Grief is a complex process, and children experience it differently than adults. Understanding the five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—can help parents support their child. Combining knowledge of childhood bereavement symptoms with therapeutic tools like The Terrible, Super Sad Day can promote healthy processing of loss. 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.
1. Denial
Young children may not fully understand that death is permanent. They might act as if nothing has changed. Reading The Terrible, Super Sad Day can help explain the permanence of loss in a gentle, age-appropriate way.
2. Anger
Children may express anger toward themselves, others, or even the person who died. Structured child grief activities, along with therapeutic stories from the book, help children safely express these emotions.
3. Bargaining
Children may try to “make deals” to reverse the loss, saying things like, “If I’m good, will they come back?” Using clear explanations and examples from The Terrible, Super Sad Day helps them understand the situation without guilt or confusion.
4. Depression
Children may feel sadness, withdrawal, or loss of interest in activities. Encouraging grief activities like journaling, memory-making, or reading therapeutic books like The Terrible, Super Sad Day allows children to express and process these emotions safely.
5. Acceptance
Acceptance does not mean the child stops missing the loved one but begins to integrate the loss into daily life. Activities such as creating memory boxes, discussing the story in The Terrible, Super Sad Day, or journaling help children honor their feelings while continuing routines.
General Guidance for Parents
Observe that children may move back and forth between stages.
Answer questions honestly and age-appropriately.
Use The Terrible, Super Sad Day as a conversation starter and therapeutic resource.
Encourage child grief activities that allow emotional expression.
Seek professional support if grief reactions persist or intensify.
By combining the guidance from The Terrible, Super Sad Day with child grief activities and therapeutic strategies, parents can support children in navigating the grieving process while feeling validated and understood.
Call 210.705.1749 to connect with a therapist today, or visit https://www.anscounseling.com/shop to purchase The Terrible, Super Sad Day in print, ebook, or Kindle as a first-step therapeutic tool for children, parents, and caregivers.