Back to school time can be a trigger for some, especially for those that have lost a spouse, significant other, or parent.
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Here are a few 🗝 for you and the kiddos to thrive during this time of year.⠀
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1. Surround your child with adults who love them and will celebrate and champion the 1st day of school with you. ⠀
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2. Structure can be a huge source of comfort for kids. Stabilize daily routines so they know what to expect from one moment to the next. ⠀ ⠀
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3. Give your kids the grace to opt out of activities or social obligations if they need some space.⠀
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4. So much of what has happened has been out of your kids control, so allow them to make simple decisions, within reason. Like, what color shoes to wear to school or how to spend their quiet time. ⠀
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5. Feel the feels. Grief is a process you have to go through. And that process is different for everyone. After you drop the kid off, cry in your car for a minute if you need to. Take a deep breath. Count to 10. Scream. Whatever, then pull yourself together and go crush the day as best you can. ⠀ ⠀
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6. Give yourself grace. No one is perfect. Let yourself off the hook and acknowledge you won’t get everything right, but that you will get better over time. ⠀