When my dad died in March of 2021, my son had just turned three years old. I knew that I needed to foster a safe and open space for him to talk about death, talk about his grandpa, and ask questions. But, I also wasn’t sure how or where to start in an age-appropriate way. I also knew he was going to see me grieving, and I wanted to be able to give him tools and information so he could feel comfortable being around a mom who was crying… a lot.

What I found was that the process of finding resources for my son was also immensely helpful in sitting with and processing my own grief. It also normalized grief SO much for me. I’ve now watched my child become a five year old who is really comfortable talking about death. And, I’m way more comfortable with it now, too.