Description
Book SynopsisIn spite of society''s wish to protect and insulate children from death, the experience of loss is unavoidable and there is surprisingly little guidance on how to help children cope with grief and bereavement. Never Too Young to Know: Death in Children''s Lives is the first book to bring together diverse fields of study, offering a practical as well as multifaceted theoretical approach to how children cope with death. Using stories of children''s own experiences supported by data from a large research study, Silverman explains the wide range of effects of loss upon children and the challenges they face as they grieve. Silverman presents grief as a normal part of the life cycle which results not only in pain and sadness but also in change and growth. She further explains that children can and do cope effectively with loss and the changes it brings as long as they are taught to understand that death is a part of life and that they will be included appropriately in the family drama. Never
Trade Review"It will be of great value to those who work with children ... I am very glad to add it to my bookshelf"Bereavement Care
Table of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS ; PREFACE ; INTRODUCTION ; PART I: MAKING MEANING OF DEATH & GRIEF ; Introduction ; 1. Historical and Theoretical Perspectives ; 2. Bereavement: A Time of Changing Relationships and Transition ; 3. Grieving and Psychological Development ; 4. Children in the Family Context ; Concluding Thoughts to Part I ; PART II: STORIES PEOPLE TELL ; Introduction ; 5. The Death of a Parent: Dealing with Bad News, My World Is Turned Upside Down ; 6. The Death of a Parent: Making an Accommodation ; 7. My Child is Dying ; 8. After a Child's Death: Nothing is the Same ; 9. When a Sibling Dies ; 10. Invisible Mourners: The Death of a Friend ; PART III: ON HELPING ; Introduction ; 11. Help Over Time: Meeting Changing Needs ; 12. Finding Help: Services for the Bereaved ; 13. Teachable Moments: Promoting Competence ; AFTERWORD ; BIBLIOGRAPHY ; APPENDIX: RESOURCES FOR THE BEREAVED