Heartache

      In the book I am working on, the subject has turned to dealing with grief.  So often, especially when dealing with youth, the way people deal with grief is to pretend that it isn't there.  I can't count how often I have heard adults say that children do not understand heartache.  So they just don't bring it up or ever talk about it with their little ones.  Folks, that isn't fair.  My husband died when my children ranged in age from infants to young teens and trust me, everyone of those hearts felt pain.  It was different for each of them because each of them had a different relationship with him.  But no matter what they felt, they all felt something.
      I do not pretend to be any sort of expert when it comes to talking about grief or trauma with children.  But with things going the way they have been in our world, we cannot afford to wait for experts.  I understand that it is hard to tell your kids that you can't afford to make that trip to the amusement park this year.  For some families, it is can't afford an ice cream cone or new shoes.  Your children are not blind.  They aren't stupid either.  Take the time to sit down and talk together as a family about what is happening in your home.  Whether it is the loss of a loved one, loss of income and lifestyle or whatever; if you sit down and talk about it together then you can work out solutions together. Children who grow up dealing with things become adults who know how to deal with things.  And isn't that the goal we all have as parents?