Loss Due To Death
Loss Due To Death
Loss Due To Death
Did someone in your family die and leave a child behind? Our groups are available any time after a child has experienced the death of a parent, for as long as support is needed. Children especially grieve a death in different ways as they grow and develop so it’s important that support is available to them throughout their childhood and as they transition to adulthood. Harmony Memorial Foundation is committed to providing support throughout a person’s childhood and beyond at no cost to the participant.
If you are the guardian or other parent who has experienced a death of a significant other due to an overdose, you will grieve. Grief is all of the feelings that a person can have when someone dies. But what do we do with all of these feelings? Mourning is the expression of all of the feelings of grief. Harmony Memorial Foundation exists to allow children to have the opportunity to mourn in a healthy way. Our support groups for children allow them to express themselves through the natural ways that children communicate—through play, physical activity, music, writing, drawing and talking. Adults tend to rely on talking as a way to express themselves, so the adult can connect as well and express their feelings and coping strategies verbally.
As grief is a lifelong process, our groups are not time limited. Participants are encouraged to attend the program for as long as they need the support and can begin any time after a death has occurred. Families can also return to Harmony Memorial Foundation at any time after closing out of their group. This is important because children and teens will often re-grieve their loss during their different stages of development.
Did someone in your family die and leave a child behind? Our groups are available any time after a child has experienced the death of a parent, for as long as support is needed. Children especially grieve a death in different ways as they grow and develop so it’s important that support is available to them throughout their childhood and as they transition to adulthood. Harmony Memorial Foundation is committed to providing support throughout a person’s childhood and beyond at no cost to the participant.
If you are the guardian or other parent who has experienced a death of a significant other due to an overdose, you will grieve. Grief is all of the feelings that a person can have when someone dies. But what do we do with all of these feelings? Mourning is the expression of all of the feelings of grief. Harmony Memorial Foundation exists to allow children to have the opportunity to mourn in a healthy way. Our support groups for children allow them to express themselves through the natural ways that children communicate—through play, physical activity, music, writing, drawing and talking. Adults tend to rely on talking as a way to express themselves, so the adult can connect as well and express their feelings and coping strategies verbally.
As grief is a lifelong process, our groups are not time limited. Participants are encouraged to attend the program for as long as they need the support and can begin any time after a death has occurred. Families can also return to Harmony Memorial Foundation at any time after closing out of their group. This is important because children and teens will often re-grieve their loss during their different stages of development.
If you would like to attend the program, please call 607-242-1888 to schedule an individual or family orientation.
If you would like to attend the program, please call 607-242-1888 to schedule an individual or family orientation.
If you would like to attend the program, please call 607-242-1888 to schedule an individual or family orientation.
If you would like to attend the program, please call 607-242-1888 to schedule an individual or family orientation.
Look for changes in behavior
Children may not have words for how they feel after a death of a parent, but you can watch for changes in their behavior, which could be their way of expressing feelings they can’t talk about. These could include:
Clinginess.
Refusing to be left behind and clinging to you can be a sign the child needs reassurance you aren’t going to die and leave them too.
Distance. Some children can put up a barrier with other members of the family because they’re scared of getting hurt again. They might want to spend more time away from home, with friends or at school.
Aggression.
This may be your child’s way of expressing helplessness in the face of loss.
Regression. Acting younger than their age can be a sign of insecurity. Young children may start wetting or soiling themselves, or wanting a long-forgotten bottle or dummy.
Lack of concentration.
Your child may find it hard to concentrate at school and fall behind with their work.
Sleep problems.
Children may find it hard to sleep and become afraid of the dark.
Trying too hard.
Young children believe their behavior can influence events. They might think if they behave really well and do things such as eating broccoli and cleaning out the hamster cage their mum might come back to life.
Death is a Big Thing
Death is a
Big Thing
“When you’re losing someone it’s like getting stabbed straight through your soul. Death is a big thing that people don’t really like to bring up because they think it might make it worse. But really it also might make you feel better to talk about it, to get those feelings out of your system. That's what we do at Harmony.”
- Bryce, age 12, Harmony Memorial Foundation participant
How you can help.
There are many ways you can get involved with Harmony Memorial Foundation, Inc. However you decide to join, you can help make a lasting impact on a child's life, right here in Broome County!
Harmony Memorial Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3)
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