A parent’s greatest revenge…
I love the quote: “a parent’s greatest revenge is when your kids have kids”. I twist this quote a bit to say that once my kids have children of their own, then maybe they will understand just a wee bit the struggle I went through as a grieving solo parent after Keith died. The other […]
The Power of Shared Experiences
This week, nine of us came together to talk about our children, solo parenting, and widowhood. We laughed, we cried, we supported each other, and we ate chocolate! Our children ranged in age from 3 months to 16 years old. Our widowhood ranged from 5 months to 12 years. The two hours sped by as […]
I have a Dad
I have thought a lot lately about just how lucky I am to have my Dad in my life. I found myself very reflective on his birthday. It occurred to me, as it has before, the vastness of what my own kids have learned to carry. While I cannot even let myself consider the day […]
Just for Today
Just for today, I will be free from anger. Just for today, I will be free from worry. I will be filled with gratitude. I will dedicate myself to my work. And I will be kind to others. -adaptation of the Reiki principles, originally written by Dr. Mikao Usui Blogger: Su I was […]
A Bill of Rights for Grieving Kids
A Bill of Rights for Grieving Kids 1. I have the right to have my own unique feelings about the death 2. I have the right to talk about my grief whenever I feel like talking. 3. I have the right to show my feelings of grief in my own way. 4. I have the […]
The Irony of Reality
The Irony of Reality It has been said that, as a parent, you are only as happy as your unhappiest child. I would say, as an only parent, that oftentimes it is not their happiness but their grief by which we measure. One of the things I learned early on in this journey is […]
My Children
My reason for being, my stressors, my light, my tears, my joy, my sorrows, my future, my gift, my everything, my “what would I do without them”! Why did they have to become part of the “kids with a parent who died” club? Why did I become part of the “parent with grieving kids and […]
Advocating for our kids in school
Now that kids are settled back in school, how do we advocate for them and support their grief in school? Here are some suggestions (thanks to Cathy for sharing): Learn your child’s teacher’s emotional style and communicate accordingly. Have a daily “back and forth book” that the teacher writes in at the end of the […]
Back to school… The Most Wonderful Time of The Year…not so much
I’m not sure who is behind the idea that this time of year is one we as parents all look forward to as wonderful, but I’m willing to bet it wasn’t an only parent raising their kids without the benefit of the other person who brought them into the world. Like so many other experiences […]