Action Plan 2: Supporting Young Children Through a Family Loss

Resources for Action Plan 2 Article: KidsAid. (n.d.). Young children and grief. Retrieved February 13, 2009, from https://kidsaid.com/dougypage.html Article: Hecker, B. (2005). Magical thin" rel="nofollow">inkin" rel="nofollow">ing: Children may blame themselves for a parent's illness and death. Retrieved from https://medicalcenter.osu.edu/viewer/Pages/in" rel="nofollow">index.aspx?p=413 Article: The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in" rel="nofollow">in Children. (n.d.). Infant and toddler grief. Retrieved February 13, 2009, from https://www.tlcin" rel="nofollow">inst.org/toddlergrief.html Article: Kids Health. (n.d.). Helpin" rel="nofollow">ing your child deal with death. Retrieved June 23, 2011, from https://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelin" rel="nofollow">ings/death.html Article: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (n.d.). Facts for families: Children and grief [Fact sheet]. Retrieved February 13, 2009, from https://aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/children_and_grief Before you create your Action Plan, consider: What does an early childhood professional need to know in" rel="nofollow">in order to understand the situation and needs of these children and families? What ideas and advice from experts may be useful in" rel="nofollow">in assistin" rel="nofollow">ing children and families? What can early childhood professionals do to help, either directly, by suggestin" rel="nofollow">ing activities and advice, or by referrin" rel="nofollow">ing the family to other community resources and professionals? As you prepare this Action Plan, keep the focus on gatherin" rel="nofollow">ing and identifyin" rel="nofollow">ing the knowledge and ideas that you can best share with parents and other key adults. Remember that workin" rel="nofollow">ing directly with children as a grief counselor is an area of expertise that you may choose to pursue. However, as an early childhood professional, you are most qualified to help young children in" rel="nofollow">in this area by supportin" rel="nofollow">ing the significant adults in" rel="nofollow">in their lives and remain" rel="nofollow">inin" rel="nofollow">ing consistent, sensitive, and carin" rel="nofollow">ing. Follow these steps to create your Action Plan: 1. What You Need to Know: Learnin" rel="nofollow">ing About How Children at Different Ages Respond to Death Naturally, children respond to situations in" rel="nofollow">in their own ways often based on where they are developmentally; sometimes based on temperament. Keep this uniqueness in" rel="nofollow">in min" rel="nofollow">ind as you read the followin" rel="nofollow">ing articles on children and grief. Although there is some overlap, you will fin" rel="nofollow">ind that all three help to clarify how young children of different ages respond to death. As you read, take notes on important developmental in" rel="nofollow">information and ideas that you thin" rel="nofollow">ink are important to share with parents/family members: Young Children and Grief (PDF) Magical Thin" rel="nofollow">inkin" rel="nofollow">ing: Children May Blame Themselves for a Parent's Illness and Death (PDF) 2. Ideas and Advice: Checkin" rel="nofollow">ing Resources Thin" rel="nofollow">ink concretely about how best to help the parents/family members of an in" rel="nofollow">infant, a toddler, and a preschooler. Check your notes from readin" rel="nofollow">ing the articles above. As needed, skim the articles again" rel="nofollow">in for key concepts about how young children perceive death and specific ways to support each age to share with parents/family members. Access these articles below as additional resources: Infant and Toddler Grief (PDF) Helpin" rel="nofollow">ing Your Child Deal with Death and Loss (PDF) Facts for Families: Children and Grief 3. Takin" rel="nofollow">ing Action: Supportin" rel="nofollow">ing the Whole Family in" rel="nofollow">in Respondin" rel="nofollow">ing to Loss With knowledge and ideas in" rel="nofollow">in hand, you're ready to suggest ways to support young children in" rel="nofollow">in dealin" rel="nofollow">ing with a family loss. Use the in" rel="nofollow">information and advice from the articles to make your plan. Thin" rel="nofollow">ink of it as preparin" rel="nofollow">ing a script for meetin" rel="nofollow">ing with the parents or other significant family adults. Include the followin" rel="nofollow">ing in" rel="nofollow">in your plan. ****Assignment: **Part I: Supportin" rel="nofollow">ing an Infant Explain" rel="nofollow">in in" rel="nofollow">in your own words: Developmental in" rel="nofollow">information about what an in" rel="nofollow">infant may feel or understand about a family death Possible ways that an in" rel="nofollow">infant may respond to a family death Specific advice from experts on how to help an in" rel="nofollow">infant through a family loss **Part II: Supportin" rel="nofollow">ing a Toddler Explain" rel="nofollow">in in" rel="nofollow">in your own words: Developmental in" rel="nofollow">information about what a toddler may feel, believe, or understand about a family death Possible ways that a toddler may respond to a family death Specific advice from experts on how to help a toddler through a family loss **Part III: Supportin" rel="nofollow">ing a Preschooler Explain" rel="nofollow">in in" rel="nofollow">in your own words: Developmental in" rel="nofollow">information about what a preschooler may feel, believe, or understand about a family death Possible ways that a preschooler may respond to a family death Three specific ideas or activities the family can do at home to help a preschooler through a family loss