When children lose someone they love, they lose part of their very identity. Life, as they knew it, will never be quite the same. The world that once felt dependable and safe may suddenly seem a frightening, uncertain place, where nobody understands what they're feeling. In this deeply sympathetic book, Phyllis R. Silverman and Madelyn Kelly offer wise guidance on virtually every aspect of childhood loss, from living with someone who's dying to preparing the funeral; from explaining death to a two year old to managing the moods of a grieving teenager; from dealing with people who don't understand to learning how and where to get help from friends, therapists, and bereavement groups; from developing a new sense of self to continuing a relationship with the person who died. Throughout, the authors advocate an open, honest approach, suggesting that our instinctive desire to "protect" children from the reality of death may be more harmful than helpful. "Children want you to acknowledge what is happening, to help them understand it," the authors suggest. "In this way, they learn to trust their own ability to make sense out of what they see." Drawing on groundbreaking research into what bereaved children are really experiencing, and quoting real conversations with parents and children who have walked that road, the book allows readers to see what others have learned from mourning and surviving the death of a loved one. In a culture where grief is so often invisible and misunderstood, the wisdom derived from such first-hand experience is invaluable. Filled with compassion and common sense, A Parent's Guide to Raising Grieving Children: Rebuilding Your Family after the Loss of a Loved One offers readers a wealth of solace and sound advice, and even--where one might least expect it--a measure of hope.

About the Author
Phyllis R. Silverman has received many awards for her work and is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of bereavement. The co-principal investigator of the pioneering Harvard Child Bereavement Study, her books include Widow to Widow: How the Bereaved Help Each Other and Never Too Young to Know: Death in Children's Lives. Madelyn Kelly is a writer and television news producer, and the mother of two sons. Her husband, the writer/columnist/editor Michael Kelly, was the first American journalist to be killed in the Iraq war, in 2003. She edited a compilation of his work, Things Worth Fighting For: Collected Writing.

Reviews
As a clinician and educator, I find this book to be invaluable as a resource for grieving parents, caregivers, and clinicians working with bereaved families. . . The authors do not overwhelm the reader with statistics or clinical language. Instead, they write in a narrative style, allowing parents to take what they need from the book and make their own meaning, hopefully finding some comfort as they accompany their children on their journey through grief. * Claudia Lingertat-Putnam, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY, USA, in OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, Issue 72, No. 3, February 2016 *
This book is a tresure-trove of wisdom and guidance for parents who are faced with the often overwhelming task of moving the family beyond the painful realities of living life after the death of a loved one. I highly recommend this book as the authoritative text for understanding the complex and often complicated grief process associated with the death of a child, parent or friend. * Doody's Notes *



Book Information
ISBN 9780195328844
Author Phyllis R. Silverman
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 386g
Dimensions(mm) 155mm * 229mm * 13mm