When a Child Dies

Google News disenfranchised grief •  The Abortion Black Hole: "Don't Talk and Don't Cry" - Earthtimes (press release) •  Facebook.com creates form to standardize use of profiles of the deceased - Tufts Daily •  SLIFF 2009 Preview | Sarah Boslaugh - Play by Play •  Search For Wilson High Shooter Continues - LBPOST.com •  Jim Harper on Kathleen Ford: I never liked her, but I'll vote for her - Creative Loafing Tampa •  THE VITAL VOICE GETS INTIMATE WITH MICHAEL KEARNS - Vital VOICE •  The public must help restore society - guardian.co.uk •  'Blue Like Jazz' author plans Perrysburg talk - Toledo Blade •  FF backbencher Mattie should have quit while he was ahead - Herald.ie

Parents understandably fear losing a child more than almost any other family tragedy, so it's natural for friends to concentrate on the loss felt by parents when a teen or child dies.

Unfortunately, sometimes this means that bereaved siblings, classmates and friends are overlooked as they struggle through the grieving process. Counsellors refer to this as 'disenfranchised grief.'

There are many sites with practical tips for supporting those who grieve, some of which are listed below and in the Google search box to the right. As we think about how to apply these to friends who grieve, it is important also to think about whether there are others in proximity who may feel they don't have a legitimate "right" to grieve, but who may be grieving nonetheless.