by Kerri Jenkins Rhodes
There really are no words to describe the pain of losing a child.
To wake up each day and find a way to get through it, to find a purpose for the pain, a way to give all the love you want to give to your loved one and to others that need it.
To find a way to make a life for yourself with a huge part of your heart missing.
Unfortunately too many of us are in this awful club. We will all survive this because one day we will meet … Read more...
This is a free download that is more thoughtful than some drugstore card. If you are looking for a Grief Journey in a Jar that is not specific to the loss of a child, that general grief journey in a jar kit is here.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR JUNK MAIL FOR YOUR DOWNLOAD! It often lands in the junk email box.
You find/buy a container such as a jar, bag, or box for small notes with grief tips and quotes which you will … Read more...
Most will say, “I couldn’t survive that.” Or, “I would never be able to move forward again.”
At first, none of us knows how we are going to survive. When people found out my son Charles died by suicide, faces reflected horror which is similar to my own reaction to the news.
Facing what was an uncertain future fueled my terror. And the simplest activity such as taking a shower would take every ounce of energy I had for the day.
I had to go to work, write an obituary, go to the pharmacy, decide what to do with the … Read more...
This time of year, I move a little slower while every one else speeds up. I annoy easier, struggle to concentrate, and the grief is more pronounced.
This will be my fifth holiday since my son, Charles’, suicide. I’m not mulling over regrets or wondering why I missed the signs.
I just ache.
Even the Christmas carols drain my spirits. What’s more, I resent them. How does one get mad at a bunch of happy, peppy songs? But it feels they are ganging up on me, assaulting my senses and trying to force me to be merry and bright when … Read more...
So what is the right amount of time to be out of work after death of a child? That depends on the individual.
Loss of a child is a traumatic grief whether it’s suicide, overdose, death from cancer, or some other cause.
Parents who lose a child still have mortgages to pay and car payments to make. For many Americans, no work means no pay. So choice has little to do with how soon some people go back after a child’s death. Consider yourself fortunate if you do have choices.
For those who do have a choice, there is no … Read more...
I hope you guys are OK with my sharing this with you. But I got to speaking engagements. Some of you might even want to go to one of them and I would love to see you there.
The first on is the AFSP long term suicide loss conference in Cleveland, OH. And a keynote speaking engagement at the Bereaved Parent Conference in St. Louis, MO.
SPEAKING: AFSP Long-Term Suicide Loss Conference Hilton Downtown 100 Lakeside Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44114 Sun, 07/30/2020-08/02/2020 8:00 am-4:00 pm
SPEAKING: Keynote Speaker, Bereaved Parent USA 25th Conference Sheraton Clayton Plaza
by Molly Senecal
It’s November already. Almost one year since my youngest daughter died by suicide during her first semester away at college. Even as I write those words, I have to pause and let them wash over me as though they are new words, as if this is a new grief.
I don’t think these words will ever settle down like old words. Not only does November hold the day of Eve’s death, but it is also Children’s Grief Awareness Month. A time when we, the grown-ups, are asked to pause, and to turn to the children, who … Read more...
“Just be yourself,” is a common phrase.
That can be hard to figure out when you’re in transition or experiencing a change such as divorce, illness, devastating loss or going through adolescence or menopause.
It’s not a good feeling being at a cross roads, lost at the intersection, and left in the desert without a compass. And it’s hard to find yourself again. When I have found myself at this place I’ve struggled to figure out what going forward means. What is that and where do I turn? People at such a juncture often make big shifts such as a … Read more...
The person you should ask is your child.
When someone dies, kids need to have some choices and control over what they do. Some relatives might imply or say that a funeral is not an appropriate place for children. But that’s not true. Even in the case of a suicide or overdose, children should be allowed to be part of the event
This is especially true for children. Funerals are special events that kick off the healing process. Unresolved grief can trigger all kinds of problems later, including substance misuse. So it’s important to allow … Read more...
I’ve done a lot of interviews lately. But this is the one time I could talk almost entirely about my grief. The Dougy Center is a national organization that focuses on grieving children and their families. Their guide to talking to children of any age about a suicide is one of the best I’ve ever read. It comes complete with scripts on what to say to children at any age.
My relationship with Charles after his death has continued and evolved. The idea that I’d have a relationship with someone who is dead makes me sound like I’m in need of a good therapist or that I am unable to accept his death.
Grief is something that lives along side me now. Talking to the air, consulting my beloved dead for advice, or laughing about something I know he’d find funny is part of that new relationship, if you could call it that. As my grief has changed and softened, so has the relationship.
I have not read tarot cards, … Read more...
It’s out! So how can you help? First, please share this post. Launch is tonight!
Between those book covers, there is a lot of pain, anger, laughter, purpose, healing, hope, and heart. I do feel a little naked and a lot vulnerable but I’m less terrified today than I was two weeks ago. And yeah, excited. I’ve woken up at 4:30am for the past two weeks.
I have had initial feedback from advance readers and so far so good. A good launch is important and that has to do with sales so here are some … Read more...
Hanging out with friends tonight at a concert. We all need those self care events and time with good friends. I’m waking up so early this week preceding the the book launch. It’s stirring up a lot of emotion. So I needed this evening out.
Podcast on Momma Bear Dares Website
On Episode 234 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, Tesi and Leslie talk to Anne Moss Rogers, a fierce mental health advocate, speaker, and writer who helps people foster a culture of connection to prevent suicide, reduce substance misuse, and find life after loss.
Through their discussion, Anne Moss teaches Tesi and Leslie about how to talk about suicide and grief, potential warning signs, helpful resources, and how to walk through life with a grieving friend.
Anne Moss shares the sorrow of her son Charles … Read more...
A “medium” is defined as a person claiming to be in contact with the spirits of the dead and communicate between the dead and the living.
It’s been on my mind the last four years. I don’t think it can hurt and might make me feel good about the experience. What was your experience if you did go to one? Did you go in person or was it by phone or skype? How did you choose the one you went to? Do you think it’s all BS mumbo jumbo?
I am not sure my husband would be into this although … Read more...