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Why Are Support Groups Needed

There are many diseases that are seen in kids. Even adults who see their kids suffering are not able to take the pain of their kids. Right from the time of the diagnosis of a disease in a child, the parents are put into a cauldron where their lives change for the worse. Their whole world seems to disintegrate and they do not know what to do. In this situation, the parents are seen to suffer a lot. So, it is very important that the kids are able to get appropriate treatment. At the same time, the kids who suffer from the disease need all the support they can get.

The parents who take care of a sick child also need a lot of support. This is all provided by the support groups. There are some support groups that are specifically present for people who grieve the diagnosis of a terminal disease. There are other support groups that are set up for the kids who are suffering from the disease. As there are many support groups, the person who is affected by a disease or the care giver of a person affected by a disease will be able to find solace there. Counseling will also help such people to be able to overcome their grief easily and so many of the support groups have a lot of counselors there.

The support groups will also help the people who are suffering to be able to cope with the disease. Since many of the support groups will have people who have overcome the disease or people who have come to be at peace with their disease, these groups are very helpful for those who are unable to come to terms with the disease that they are suffering from. These are the main reasons for the need for support groups to overcome diseases and associated grief.

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Mourning the Loss of a Pet

If your child has recently lost a pet, they may be going through some difficult times. This can be one of the hardest things that a child has dealt with and they may not know what to do or think. It is up to you as a parent to help them through this period of mourning and to help them come to terms with what happened and what they can expect.

Your actions will vary depending on your personal religious beliefs, but you may want to share with your child a story about what Heaven is like and how your pet is now there and no longer feeling any pain. There is a poem about “rainbow bridge” which is a great way to discuss the concept of Heaven and pets.

If your child is feeling some long term depression or sadness about the death of a pet, you may consider talking with their school counselor or maybe getting in touch with a therapist that can help your child work through some of their unresolved feelings. Your child may be nervous about talking with someone else about their pet and their feelings, but sometimes a trained professional can help in ways that parents and family don’t know ho.

Eventually your child will start to feel better, and may be ready for a new pet. If this is the case, make sure they know that you aren’t trying to replace your beloved pet, but instead are bringing a new animal into your lives so you can help this pet have a happy life too. Your child may worry they won’t connect with the new pet, just reassure them that they can develop feelings at their own speed and they shouldn’t expect it to feel just like it did with their old pet.

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Being Supportive as a Mother

As a mother, it can become difficult to manage all of the things in your life. From your children to the family as a whole and all of the responsibilities that come with it, it can all seem too much sometimes. Yet in the struggles as life it is important to remain supportive for those around us. Parenting itself is extremely difficult. Sometimes children are unable to be as supportive as you are to them, and likewise they experience struggles that you may not be able to completely understand. Ultimately these struggles can bring a family together if hearts are in the right place.

When individuals go through something serious, which can be anything from losing someone close to the normal struggles in life, being supportive becomes extremely important. Indeed we have all felt what sincere and true support can do in even the direst of situations and circumstances.

One of the most dangerous behaviors that can form in these times is one surrounding addiction. It can be difficult to notice in certain circumstances, but as a mother, noticing these behaviors can truly help the person affected. You may even notice this in yourself.

Addictions can come in any form. In order to cope with a situation, individuals can find something to hold onto in these tough times. Indeed many of us are aware of the possibilities surrounding alcohol and other drugs, as these can become dangerous. However there are plenty of things that can extend into addictive behavior, as a person can hold onto some activity or object to the extreme.

It may be difficult to take the next step, but if you notice something you should seek help. A mental health professional can guide you to the right steps, such as consulting with MichaelsHouse.com for a drug-related addiction. Do your best to support and help the person with the habit, even if it is you.

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When Kids Lose a Classmate

One of the most traumatic things that can happen to a kids is the death of a classmate.  Depending on the age group, the type of support will vary when kids lose a classmate.  Elementary age children don’t really have a well developed concept of death.  Teenagers typically do, but they may have never experienced a death, much less one that affects a classmate.

With all children, make sure there is an open, safe place for them to talk and ask questions.  With smaller kids, the questions will be very literal.  They may even want the gory details.  Their minds are very visual and concrete, so they’ll seek out information that makes sense at their stage of development.  With this age group, keep answers brief and simple.  They simply cannot process more.

Teenagers will need a different type of support.  High schools will often employ extra counselors during a time of traumatic death.  Teenagers may feel like they need to be with their classmates all of the time.  They will have more spiritual questions.  They may talk about nothing but the dead person.  Depending on how the child died, the school may want to set up some specific programming to address the subject.  Many teenagers die in alcohol related accidents, drug overdoses and suicide.  Each of these deaths carries a different stigma that has to be addressed.

Mostly, the children need to know that the death is not their fault, it is not a type of punishment, and whatever they are feeling is natural.  Teachers shouldn’t be afraid to let the kids see their grief.  Kids need to know that their leaders feel sorrow and therefore truly understand the grief they are feeling.  For a day or so, schools may want to offer a time and space for a grief support group where older kids can process the death with each other in a healthy environment.

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Make a Grief Drum in Children Support Groups

Whether a child is grieving or not, he’s going to act out or get rambunctious at times.  Children support groups should leave room for some expressive outbursts while teaching kids to explore how all five senses can be a part of the grieving process.  A fun way to do this is to make a grief drum in children support groups.

You’ll need to find a carpenter volunteer to make the drum frames, but once that’s done, these expressive toys are a great tool for working with different levels of emotion.  A carpenter should cut one by three boards in one foot strips.  Then make a simple box frame out of the strips.  The kids will do the rest.

First ask the children to gather objects that represent their feelings towards the person who died.  Craft stores have lots of glitters, confetti, tiny figures, and other small bright objects that can go inside the drum.  The children may want to paint their drum frames, too.  They can even write messages on the frame.

Now take clear packing tape and run strips tightly across one side of the frame, like a drum head.  The children can now place their items in the frame.  Ask them to talk about what they are creating and why.  The creative expression in the drum making should help with grief and understanding about death and loss.  Once the drums are filled, take the clear tape and tightly wrap it around the drum frame so that it is tight on both sides.

You can now take one foot, small dow rods and put a two or three inch Styrofoam ball on one end.  Wrap it with bright material and tape.  The drum is complete and ready to go!  It’s time to assign different feelings to different rhythms and beats.  Let the children choose them, demonstrate them and explain them.  In fact, arrange all the beats into a single song.

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When a Child Loses a Sibling

Two Sisters
Image via Wikipedia

The death of any close loved one can be traumatic for a child whether the death was unexpected or came after a long illness. However, the death of a sibling can cause a deep wound in a child or teen that is very difficult to bear.

Because all families have different dynamics and relationships with each other, finding the right way to help a child deal with the loss of a sibling can be difficult. The guilty feelings over different matters are often evident. These reactions are common and have ways to deal with them.

Survivors guilt can be extremely crippling when the loved one who died is a sibling. When the surviving child feels that they are somehow less deserving of life than the sibling who has died, it can cause pain and confusion. Parents of these children need to let them know that they deserve to be alive just as much as any other person. Confirm in them that they are unique, special, and just as important as the sibling who has died. Parents also need to make sure that friends and family members do not compare the deceased sibling with the one who survived. Sometimes they just do not understand how hurtful they can be.

A surviving sibling may also be upset when recalling past fights or disagreements with a sibling who has died. They need to understand that these things are normal between siblings. In fact, the closer two siblings are, the more they tend to fight. The surviving child needs to understand exactly what caused the death of their sibling. They need to know that there is no possible way that mean thoughts or feelings caused the death.

They also need to know, in a way that follows the family’s religious beliefs, that the child who has died no longer harbors any ill will or hard feelings. Siblings should know that the only feeling that lingers after death is love.

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