Resources

Parent Resource: Social-Emotional Learning, Supporting Academic Growth, and Collaborating Effectively with Schools

As part of our commitment to children Ribas Associates has created a FREE website with articles from leading parent educators. These articles are designed to help parents and guardians use parenting strategies that have been found to be highly beneficial to children and adolescents.

 

Helping Teenagers Cope with Death

As a parent, you may want to talk to your child about death because it impacts each person in different ways.  How children react will depend on the relationships they had with the person who died, their age, level of development, and their prior experience with death.  Your child may: appear unaffected, ask questions about the death repeatedly, be angry or aggressive, be withdrawn or moody, be sad or depressed, become fearful or scared, have difficulty sleeping or eating.  We suggest that you listen to your children. If they want to talk, answer their questions simply, honestly and be prepared to answer the same questions repeatedly.

A variety of teen activities that facilitate healing: (these are only a few examples)
● Writing
● Read an inspirational book about someone you admire,
● Being with friends, take in a funny movie, go to a zoo,
● Crying or screaming, punching a pillow, take kick boxing classes
● Helping others, volunteer at a soup kitchen or be a big brother/sister
● Creative projects, memory books and collages
● Having alone time, listen to music, watch a movie, take in a new band
● Art, daydream, visit a chat room for teens who are grieving,
● Hugging, work for a cause, dance, watch the sun set,
● Joining a support group
● Getting further counseling
● Writing letters and journaling
● Exercising, go for a hike, a swim, take a yoga class, learn to meditate
● Seek additional help if needed.

One of the best places to begin in seeking services would be a call to your child's primary care physician.  They can refer you to providers in your area.

Other immediate resources you can call: