How to Cope With the Death of a Grandparent

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Talk to someone in your family about your grandparent’s death.

   Reach out to your parents, your siblings, or another person in your family that you feel close to.
   
   Try to talk about your grandparent’s death as a way to process your grief.
   
   Ask questions about your grandparent’s life, especially if you did not know her well.
   
   Focus on addressing her death with others in your family as a way to cope together.You could start by asking your parents, "Where did grandma go?" or "Why did grandma go away?" If you are a parent responding to your child's questions about the grandparent's death, use simple and clear language.
   
   Respond with: "You know that grandma has been sick for some time with cancer.
   
   He wasn't sick the way you were when you had a cold last week, this was very different.
   
   We all hoped she would get better.
   
   But she didn't and now she has died from cancer."
2. 2

   Step 2: Do not feel afraid or ashamed to cry in front of others.

   While you may think it is embarrassing or shameful to cry in front of others, releasing your emotions can help you to grieve and displaying grief to others may also help them grieve.
   
   Be okay with crying and showing emotion around your grandparent’s death.
   
   Support your family members or friends who are also upset and give them a hug or comfort them in some way.Parents who are talking to their children about the death of a grandparent should be open with their emotions and cry or get upset.
   
   Your child will take this a sign that he can also cry or get upset, allowing him to process his grief. , Though it may be difficult, attending the funeral can help with the grieving process and make it easier to understand that your grandparent is gone.
   
   Going with your family can offer you support and kinship as you grieve.Parents can ask the child if she would like to go to the funeral to celebrate and acknowledge the life of the deceased grandparent.
   
   Offering this option will allow the child to decide if she is comfortable with attending.
   
   Often, children will opt to attend so they can say goodbye to their grandparent.
   
   If your child decides to attend the funeral, you should talk to her beforehand about what to expect at the funeral.
   
   Note that she may line up behind other family members and choose to view the body or she may decide to stay on the sidelines.
   
   Explain what a casket is and that the grandparent may appear like he is sleeping in the casket.
   
   You may also want to talk to the person running the service and let him know that you are bringing a child with you to the service. , If you have close friends who have also recently experienced the death of a loved one, reach out to them and share your fears and emotions with them.
   
   Telling others how you feel can help you to process your feelings and feel a bit better about your loss.Parents should also reinforce that it is not the child's fault that the grandparent has passed away and that the grandparent passed away because of an illness or an accident.
   
   Children can experience fear and anxiety around death, and may blame themselves or become afraid that everyone around them is going to die.
   
   Be patient and explain that grandpa died for a specific reason and that older people are more susceptible to health issues.
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   Step 3: Attend your grandparent’s funeral with your family

4. 4

   Step 4: if possible.

5. 5

   Step 5: Share your fears around death with close friends.

Detailed Guide

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