Help Me Say Goodbye : Activities For Helping Kids Cope When A Special Person Dies

Description

An art therapy and activity book for children coping with death.

Children are encouraged to express in pictures what they are often incapable of expressing in words. They can also write their responses. The book also helps children consider meaningful ways to commemorate their loved one.

Sensitive exercises address all the questions children may have during this emotional and troubling crisis. These exercises can help when a young child loses a parent, grandparent or other close relative or friend

Reviews

Teacher Janis Silverman designed this activity book for families with young children who will be visiting a friend or relative who is dying. But the book could also help children who have recently lost someone important. Each page describes something a child could do to “say goodbye” and provides space for it. One page says: “When you visit your friend or relative, what can you bring? Draw or write about your ideas.” Other pages suggest ways children can express their feelings after a loss. One says that when someone dies, people may feel angry: “Draw or write what you can do when you feel angry. Circle the things that won’t hurt anyone else.” And while the book is designed for children in grades kindergarten through three, it describes a few activities for younger ones, such as, “Use a toy phone to talk about what happened.” Recommended … for children who are coping with the death of a parent, grandparent, sibling, teacher or friend. The exercise in this book could be adapted for children whose pets have died. --Janice Harayda