Talking to Your Teenager About Bereavement

Losing someone you love or a family pet is difficult at any age. This is especially true for teenagers who are already dealing with the trials of puberty and growing up. They may find their emotions difficult to understand and may not have the coping skills just yet to deal with loss.

As parents and carers, it may be difficult to know how to support them. You can’t take away their pain, but you can show them they’re not alone and that there are people who care about them. This can help make coping with the loss a little easier.

Knowing how grief affects teenagers is the first step to helping them cope with their loss.

How teenagers understand death

• • They have an adult understanding of the concept of death, but rarely have the experience or coping skills of an adult.

• • Some young people may be resistant to expressing any emotions about it.

• • They may question their understanding of the world.

• • They may struggle to find meaning in death and contemplate larger questions about the purpose of life.