Around the Web…

Some links for your Monday afternoon:

• Two German children attempting to elope in Africa are stopped by authorities — BBC News
• How to help parents who are grieving the loss of a child — lilSugar
• New Jersey parents are upset about a mandatory flu vaccine for children — MOMformation
• The word “school” is dropped from the name of a UK learning institution — ParentDish

Comments

i dont think that will ever work for all the parents who lost their children in Gaza!…

- Blackrose on January 5th, 2009

I love the “How to Help parents” article — although there’s no way to really “help” someone who’s going through something of that nature… I think it’s important to be aware of the things you can do or say that won’t hurt them more.

It’s amazing how badly comments that are meant to offer encouragement and support can actually offend or make someone feel worse. I think the best piece of advice I took from the class on death and grief I had in college was that when it comes to speaking with a grieving family member, say “I’m sorry” and then shut up.

- Rachel on January 5th, 2009

thanks for posting this-the article on what to say to parents after a loss is nice. our 2nd daughter was stillborn at 41w in 2007, and much of that is true and helpful. I was astonished to see the weird way people acted when it was MY baby that had died, my life turned upside down…but they acted WEIRD to me?

Esp the part “Talk openly and directly about the person who died”, I love it when people talk about/mention/ask/whatever about my daughter that died. Talking about her is the only way to keep her memory alive, and makes me very happy.

- JEN on January 5th, 2009

I haven’t lost a child, but I remember some of the really crazy and terrible things people said when my father died suddenly two years ago. The friends that helped me through it were those that sat with me and let me talk or cry, whatever it was I needed to do at the time (and it varied day to day).

- MZ on January 6th, 2009