Sympathy Ideas

Comfort children, too

The kids are hurting. They have really suffered, and often they don't know what to do with all those emotions. The more kind and compassionate people the kids have available, the better the chance they have of dealing with their feelings. Some types of support you may choose to offer include:

• Send gift certificates for movie theaters, fast food restaurants or bookstores.
• Drive children to lessons or pick children up from after-school events.
• Attend after-school games and functions with the parents if you have a close relationship.
• Take the children on an outing or out to dinner.
• Invite the kids to a gathering your family is having that is kid-friendly.
• Offer to stay with the children while the parent has some alone time, or invite the children to your home.
• Offer to get a baby-sitter and take the parent for an outing.
• You may not have a tradition of exchanging gifts for holidays or birthdays. But now you can create a tradition by giving that child a little something from now on.

Too often children are overlooked in their grieving process. Your kindness can offer soothing comfort and confidence that they'll remember for a lifetime.