Blog — Advice for sick children

Finding My Oxygen

January 17, 2018 • Advice for Grandparents • Advice for Parents • Advice for sick children • Blog Post • Children and Loss • Dr Emily McClatchey • How do we talk to children about death • Kidolences Blog • Kidolences Origin • Talking to Children

A few months ago, I launched an enterprise aimed to help children enduring challenging times: the death of a loved one, a major life change, or a family member's illness. I also wrote a guide to explore and underscore the tenets that lie at the heart of my endeavors, explaining what kids need in trying times, why they need it, and how we can give it to them. My research on this subject took the better part of a year; the philosophy was a lifetime of experience and schooling in the making. When I finished my guide and blogged it,...

You are Not an Afterthought

Oxygen masks have become an oft-referenced analogy in coping: your first order of business is to take care of yourself so that you can properly attend to children. For the sake of yourself and the sake of children in your life, please don’t neglect yourself. Take time to pay attention to your own psychological health. Give yourself permission to grieve and to mourn. By attending to your own needs in times of crisis, you are not only maintaining a stable base for the children in your life, you are also modeling self-care and healthy coping. That is another priceless gift you offer to children.

Kids Feel Real Pain

December 30, 2017 • Advice for Grandparents • Advice for Parents • Advice for sick children • Blog Post • Children and Loss • Dr Emily McClatchey • How do we talk to children about death • Kidolences Blog • Kids Need Ritual • Professional Help • Talking to Children • Understanding Death

In times of stress for children, it is crucial to help them maintain healthy and adaptive coping strategies. At these times, you might notice an increase in aches, pains, and nebulous boo boos. Appetites may markedly change. Sleep habits can shift. Stomachaches and headaches become more common. Children may act out aggression, anxiety, and sadness through their bodies. All of these symptoms are very real and should be treated as such; they are not simply ploys to garner attention.