18th – 24th November #BuildingHope
Children’s Grief Awareness Week
This Children’s Grief Awareness Week, we highlight our mission to support families facing the death of a parent from incurable cancer. Ruth sought for every family to have a support network available, to help prepare the whole family for the death of a parent.
The theme this year is #BuildingHope, something our Family Support Team talk to many parents about. Building realistic hope with children about their parent or caregiver’s diagnosis helps them to navigate the present and focus on enjoying time together.
An Activity for the Family!
A great activity you can do with your children, even if they are not facing the death of a parent is make a #BuildingHope box together.
It can be as imaginative as they want it to be!
How to make a #BuildingHope Box:
The ‘box’ could be a cardboard box; an envelope; a photo album on their phone or tablet; a collage; a song playlist; a handmade book or printed photobook you can add pages to over time. It could even be a sports team made up of your #TeamofHope
Ask your child/ren to think about what or who helps them feel hope.
Hope can be explained to children as a little light inside them, that helps them believe good things can happen, even when things get tough. Hope is a belief that something good will happen.
Some ideas if they are struggling to think of what helps them build hope might include a breathing exercise they can do when they feel worried, who can they talk to about their feelings, what is a happy or fun thing in their life (a toy, an activity), a spiritual or non-spiritual belief in how the world works.
You might like to build your own box alongside them, to show them what helps you with #BuildingHope.
We’d love you to send us your #BuildingHope boxes if you make them! @RuthStraussFoundation
Do you need our support?
If you’re looking for more guidance on how to support your child through grief, visit our Support Page for information tailored to help you navigate these difficult conversations. You can also explore our Resources Page for practical tips, activities, and tools designed to support families facing the death of a parent.
