Easter is a time for celebration and renewal, but for children who have lost a loved one, it can feel different. They might feel out of sorts and not want to participate in Easter activities like egg hunts or visiting the Easter Bunny.
As a caregiver, you want to support and uplift your child during this difficult time. However, it can be challenging to navigate deep topics and emotions with a grieving child. They’re still developing as a person, which means they likely aren’t in touch with their emotions. That’s why children need a guiding hand to develop healthy coping skills.
Whether your child has lost a relative or a close friend, let’s discuss a few gentle guidelines that can help you support your grieving child during the Easter season.
Understand That Children Grieve Differently
Grief looks different for everyone, and it isn’t an easy concept to understand, especially for children. Nationally respected grief counselor and educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt says, “In life, everyone grieves. But their grief journeys are never the same. Despite what you may hear, you will do the work of mourning in your own special way.”
There are many signs of grief that can show up at different ages and developmental stages, but they’re all normal. For example, your child may not be as excited about Easter activities this year. Or maybe your child is in denial that their loved one is gone and is closing themselves off from others. If your child is exhibiting natural grieving behaviors, try not to worry too much. Grief takes time.
If you’ve ever lost a loved one, then you’ll understand how complicated feelings and behaviors can get. To foster a healthy grief journey, encourage your child to talk about their feelings and create opportunities for them to come to you.
Provide a Compassionate Space
While everyone around them may be celebrating Easter, your child needs a safe space to express their grief, and that space can be you. Even if your child is not initially receptive, continually remind them that you’re available to support them.
In some ways, being a supportive space won’t be easy; your child could be happily decorating eggs one moment and crying the next. Create a space for grace and understanding, but don’t allow your child to push your boundaries. Even when someone is grieving, it doesn’t excuse breaking the rules or mistreating those around them.
As your child’s safe space, you can provide opportunities for them to express themselves. For example, open conversations and journaling can create a sense of structure and foster positive expression. Reading a book and drinking a warm beverage can emphasize the safety of your child’s home surroundings. All of these things remind children that home is a safe place to grieve. And if your child seeks out time alone, don’t be afraid to give it to them. Children of every age experience a range of emotions, and these feelings can be overwhelming if they don’t have a healthy outlet.
Modify an Easter Tradition
Easter celebrations usually include fun activities like opening baskets and dressing up, but your child’s excitement may look different. Enjoying the holidays without a loved one can be challenging, but with a little effort, you can update your traditions to help your child grieve and honor their loved one’s memory!
If the loved one enjoyed a specific candy, you could include it in the eggs for an Easter egg hunt. Or, if your child loved painting or dyeing eggs with the person who has died, you could gather the supplies and do the activity with your child yourself.
As your child does these activities, they can remind them that their loved one is still present in their daily life – even if they’re not physically there. These special moments help honor their loved one’s memory, soothe the ache of their loss, and learn healthy grieving skills.
Encourage Outdoor Activity
Grief can make it easy to fall into a pattern of staying inside, but going outside can help your child immensely. Thankfully, Easter often lands in early spring, which means warmer temperatures, plants growing, and more time spent outside.
There are many ways you can use the outdoors to help your child. Take the opportunity to plant their loved one’s favorite tree or flower as an act of remembrance. Visit their loved one’s final resting place and let your child talk about school, memories, or whatever they want. Or to help your child expend any emotional energy, take a walk or play at the playground. These activities can help your child release their emotions in a healthy manner.
As a caregiver, you want nothing more for your child than for them to be happy during the Easter holiday. Grief isn’t easy, and it takes time and intentional effort to process. While you cannot heal your child’s grief, you can make Easter feel easier by implementing these compassionate guidelines and practices. Showing that you care will make all the difference to your child as they navigate the challenging emotions that accompany grief.
As you create a plan to support your grieving child this Easter, take a look at these additional resources and decide how best to love on your child during their time of grief:
6 Ways to Honor a Loved One’s Memory at Easter – Funeral Basics
10 Ways to Support a Grieving Child During the Holidays – Funeral Basics
7 Tips for Teaching Your Child How to Process Grief – Funeral Basics
10 Story Books on Grief for Children Ages 3-12 – Funeral Basics
