How to offer support to those who face the death of a child

by Deanna House

I lost my son in the Iraq War on my birthday, June 23, 2007. Six months later a friend from our small town of Lee, Maine lost her son in the war. Nothing in life hurts as much as losing a child and nothing helps as much ...read more

by Dawn Hawkins

My own experience with losing a child makes this a subject very close to my heart. I have lost a lot of people in my time, but none of them compares to when we lost Jason. People don't really know what to say to you or...read more

by Holly Hixson

Losing a child is the hardest thing a parent can ever face. I speak of this from first hand experience: I lost my son two years ago to cancer. When he was first diagnosed, the doctors basically told me to take him home and...read more

by Krystle Hernandez

Grief is a very personal emotion and different people will mourn in different ways. There are arguably few things more painful in life, particularly for parents, than losing a child. Many people who must undergo this trau...read more

by Laura Leigh Fields

Death is never an easy thing to deal with. Harder still when it is your fresh and blood. A parent who is grieving the death of a child has a hard road to travel. It is hard to see a child into the world then watch them lea...read more

by Emily Wickersham

One of my close friends lost a child after a long battle with cancer, and the insensitivity of some of her acquaintances was unbelievable. Among the comments she got was "You should be glad its over" and "God wanted him m...read more

by Susan Clark

SEND HER A MOTHER'S DAY CARD. That's right, that's what I said. Not right then, but on the following Mother's Day. Nothing can take away the fact that she was/is a MOTHER! Tell her so. Of course this is true for a Father a...read more

by Jadey Bayless

A time for congratulations, and celebrations. You are expecting a baby. How exciting. All is going well. Your final checkup is in just a few days and your delivery date is anytime now. You feel the movement and you fe...read more

by newcomet

The most unnatural thing on earth is for a child to die before their parent. It flies in the face of all that we know or dream or hope for. The world of a parent who has lost a child will never be the same. Never. How ...read more

by Danelle Karth

Facing the death of a child is something that no parent should have to deal with, but sadly this world isn't perfect and many do. It causes grief, anger, depression, and a whole host of feelings many can't even begin to co...read more

by MJ Suttor

The death of a child is a devastating experience. Just like any death of someone close to us, it never will go away but it can become less painful as time goes on. My grandparents lost three children in childhood. One ...read more

by Mary Catherine

It's always hard to find the right words to say to someone who has lost someone close but when it's a child it's twice as difficult. I myself lost a son almost five years ago and could see from the faces of people around m...read more

by Sarah Williams

There is nothing more painful and more devastating in the lives of parents than to lose a child...it's not fair, it's not supposed to happen, and it leaves a scar on their hearts for as long as they live. In addition, the...read more

by Eddie French

Whether friends or family have lost a child or are soon to lose a child to illness, the giving of support to the parents who must face this terrible experience is one of the most difficult and important responsibilities an...read more

by Petula Tadman

I was just over a divorce from my violent abusive husband, and I had a son of six and a daughter of seven. I was only about trenty five. My daughter complained of tummy pain and the doctor arranged for her to have her ton...read more

by Callista Meyer

I could not imagine losing one of my children to death, but i am fully aware that it occurs. Speaking from a not so personal opinion i would believe the parents may want some time alone to grieve their loss before being cl...read more

by Carolyn Paradis

They say losing a child is the worst thing that anyone can experience. It's certainly true from my experience and for all those who have chosen this category. I thought I couldn't bear to write on this subject, to let pe...read more

by Francesca Collins

Facing the death of a child is - for me - the absolute worst thing that could happen in a family. We are raised, and prepared for a certain order of things. This includes death of the parents before the children. When this...read more

by Lena Martin

Losing any loved one is hard, but I have found losing a child you have personally watched grow is the hardest. I have a friend who is going into the second year of dealing with the loss of his son. As a single mother, I ...read more

by Kristine Quiroz

In the natural scheme of things, our children should bury us after we've lived a long and fruitful life. Unfortunately, all to many times, our world is turned upside down by the death of a child. What do you say to som...read more