When a child dies, we don’t just lose them; we also lose the memories we missed making with them. If you find yourself wondering what your child would have dressed as for Halloween this year, this shareable graphic is one way to share about them.
Bereaved parents want their children to be remembered, both during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month and always. Use these graphics to share about your child who is gone too soon.
Every fall, parents take photos of their children, fresh clothes and backpacks in hand, heading back to school. When a child is deceased, things look a little different, but they can still be included. Use these first-day-of-school graphics to share about your child and where they would and should be this year.
Every fall, parents take photos of their children, fresh clothes and backpacks in hand, heading back to school. When a child is deceased, things look a little different, but they can still be included. Download and print these back-to-school graphics to share about your child and where they should be this year.
How might we celebrate our deceased childrens’ birthdays if they were still here? Having a large party? Going to the beach? These are just some of the things we are permanently missing, both on their birthdays and always.
Mothers Day can be a complicated holiday when one of more of your children is deceased. This customizable graphic offers multiple ways to share with your loved ones that you do consider yourself to be a mother, and are thankful to be remembered and honored on this day.
Pregnancy after loss can be pretty terrifying. Many people worry about celebrating such a pregnancy, for fear of what would happen if the resultant child died. I understand this. The risk and the fear are both very real. I choose to celebrate anyway.
People say that grief is selfish. I say that it maybe needs to be. Sometimes being selfish is the most important form of self-care possible.
If I’ve learned anything in the past 4 years, it is that, despite appearances, we have NO idea what anyone else is going through. All we tend to see is what is on the surface, and the few other glimpses people choose to share. And sometimes, what is shared is far from reality
It was months after Adrian’s death, and I was sitting on the couch, trying to focus on mindless TV. It was the point after death where sympathy had mostly evaporated. And I didn’t want casseroles, but damn—I was lonely!
I used to feel so much pressure to perform; to meet a certain standard at work and in life. And the worst part was, the bulk of this pressure was internal; something I demanded of myself. And then my son died, and I realized I didn’t have it in me to keep up with these illusory standards.
One of the things that bothers me when I share any part of Adrian’s story is this undercurrent of, “But this is so RARE. This would never happen to ME.” Here is why that attitude is dangerous
We are conditioned to look for the silver lining in everything, but some things simply don’t have one. It’s okay to acknowledge that.
Four years out from Adrian’s death, and sometimes it almost feels “normal” to me. New homes; new jobs; and an energetic little one running around—it could almost be a different lifetime.
One of the things that isn’t often talked about is that stillborn babies are (usually) born with their eyes closed. And although I explored every inch of Adrian’s body, I couldn’t bring myself to force open his eyes. They will always be a mystery for me.
I know this isn’t the intention, but this passage in Ecclesiastes 3:4 kind of rubs me the wrong way. Why must there be a time for grieving, or any of these things? Why can’t the time be always? There is time for everything under the sun. It is ALWAYS time for grieving.
I used to lean pretty naturally, thinking that everything in nature was naturally the best. Natural living; natural birthing–these things made sense to me. Humanity had been doing them for millennia. Who was I to question them?
I think on the surface this is easily understandable, and yet, somehow it’s something I have to keep repeating. I have two children, forever and always.
As a loss parent, people often assume I am against abortion. I am not. Life is sometimes complicated, and this is one of those situations.
People who haven’t dealt with tragedy are often made uncomfortable by any mention of the life that remains. It’s as if there is this irrevocable connection between my son’s death and his existence; as if these things are forever entwined instead of merely adjacent.
I am thankful for my daughter and also missing my son at the same time. Both feelings can exist, simultaneously.
Before my daughter existed, I used to wish I could go back in time and save my son. And now, I struggle with this. Even in my imagination, it’s impossible to choose. I love BOTH of them. And I can’t have them both at the same time.
Sometimes people “freeze” after tragedy; unsure what to do or say. And often, there isn’t any perfect thing. But please do SOMETHING; anything to show that you care. You may not be perfect, but your efforts are still appreciated.
Snowballs and sledding and all of the mid-winter fun, but one person’s snowman is missing. These are downloadable graphics you can use to honor and share about your deceased child/ren during winter.
We can sometimes feel a heavy cultural obligation to find a silver lining in every loss, and to hold onto the adage that there is always something to be thankful for. he truth, though, is that this isn’t always the case.
In case you need permission—you never have to celebrate if you’re not feeling up to it. Holidays are and always can be optional. Give yourself the time and space to spend these days however you need.
Thanksgiving can be hard when you’re grieving, especially when the one who is gone is your child. These are customizable graphics you can use to honor and share about your deceased child/ren during the Thanksgiving season.
There are stockings missing this Christmas; voices missing in this house. There are memories we should be making, and more cheer shared around the tree.
Something I wish people understood is that it’s possible to laugh while you’re dying inside. Laughter doesn’t mean the grief is over. The two things can exist simultaneously.
Everywhere I go, someone is missing. It’s an absence that lives with you; a missing that remains.
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