Grief and loss are life experiences we all share,
ALL of us—including children.
Kids need support during the grieving process, and sometimes the love of family isn’t enough to forge a bridge between sorrow and hope, especially when family members are struggling with their own sense of loss.
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The value of “external” grief support wasn’t something I’d given much thought to until I happened upon an organization called the National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC).
Now, I can’t stop thinking about what a wonderful service they provide, so I had to share it with you.
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The mission of NAGC is to “promote awareness of the needs of children and teens grieving a death and provide education and resources for anyone who wants to support them.”
They provide a directory of grief support providers who serve children, teens and their families nationwide. The services that caught my attention, in particular, are the many Bereavement Camps that offer kids a chance to get outdoors and get active with other kids who have endured the death of a loved one.
I’ve always believed that good work, fresh air, and friendship are the BEST therapies for healing the heart.
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One glowing example of a Bereavement Camp is The Moyer Foundation’s Camp Erin, the largest national bereavement program for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. With numerous locations throughout North America, Camp Erin offers children and teens (ages 6 to 17) the opportunity to attend a transformational weekend camp that combines traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support, free of charge for all families. Camp weekends are led by grief professionals and trained volunteers who help kids recover hope, build self-esteem, and learn that they are not alone.
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Certainly, there is no nobler mission.
Here’s how you can get in touch or lend a hand:
NAGC Bereavement Camp Directory
What Do We Tell Children? (Resources for Grief Support)
When I worked with Hospice for 11 years, we held a bereavement camp every fall for the children of our patients and community referrals. It was staffed by our bereavement and counseling staff plus many of us nurses. The day was packed with the usual camp activities, age appropriate games, as well as group sessions and rituals to talk about losses. The children enjoyed all of the love and support they received in a safe and structured day at a local campground. Although it was a lot of planning work for all of us on top of our regular case loads, it was always worth the smiles and tears that the day would bring.
What a wonderful program to have available for children and teens. My favorite part about this program is that there are so many children out there dealing with grief and neither them or their parents know how to help them cope and with this program there is hope for help. I hope more families can become aware of these services and take advantage of them!
This sounds like a fantastic program. I benefited greatly from a weekly grief group I attended at my high school after my brother died. A camp like these would have been great! However devastating loss is, it can bring people together in unexpected yet welcome ways. I’ve made some very good and close relationships with others who have experienced big losses. Grief is a fascinating thing!
Thank you so much for sharing this. Grief is so crippling, and children are so vulnerable. It’s good to know about these resources.