CHILDREN’S GRIEF AWARENESS DAY

Children’s Grief Awareness Day is observed annually on the third Thursday in November. It is a day to acknowledge and support the thousands of children and teens grieving the death of

someone important in their lives.

According to the Canadian Alliance for Children’s Grief, over 203,000 of Canadian children will experience the death of someone in their extended family by the time they turn 18 and 1 in 14 children will experience the death of their parent or sibling. These statistics are not regularly discussed, so spending time reflecting on this around Children’s Grief Awareness Day can act as an important reminder of the difficult experiences of many Canadian children and their families. The alliance’s website can be accessed at https://grievingchildrencanada.org/ and includes several resources that may be helpful in supporting children.

When thinking about children’s grief, it is essential to remember that there are developmental stages to the grieving process. This can make children’s grief experiences more complex because with each stage, they process grief in different ways. For children aged 2-4, death is not yet understood as permanent. When they enter the 5-8 age category, they engage in magical thinking and often feel that death is reversible. By the time they are ages 9-12, they become more abstract thinkers and can think about grief and depth in more death. As they transition to adolescence, they understand that death is permanent, and they may want to know more about the meaning of life.

To help celebrate Children’s Grief Awareness Day, there are a few symbols you can incorporate into your reflections and/or in your online presence and connections with others. First, the colour blue is a main symbol of support for grieving children. Consider wearing blue on this special day through blue shirts, ribbons, wristbands, etc. Blue symbolizes hope, comfort, and empathy. A second symbol is a butterfly, which is often known to symbolize transformation and life after loss. It provides a gentle and child-friendly way to talk about death and healing. Lastly, utilizing the symbol of light can be a powerful way of remembering those who have died. It offers a sign of hope and can provide a symbol to aid in the reflection process. Consider lighting a blue candle to incorporate a few symbols for Children’s Grief Awareness Day.

If you have a child in your life who has experienced loss, please take time to reach out and

connect with them and the other supportive adults in their life. Creating space for children to

remember their loved ones with people in their lives can aid in their healing process and remind them they are not alone.

Submitted by: Walking Through Grief Society

Funded by FCSS; City of Lloydminster, Towns of Vermilion and Wainwright, Village of Kitscoty, and County of Vermilion River.