Chapter 1: How children grieve

Is it grief or their age?


I can’t figure out if these tantrums are because my daughter is 2-years-old, or because I’m in the hospital all the time.


It’s difficult to tell if Ethan's moods are due to his grief or just being a teenager.

She seems to want to hang out with her friends all the time now.  I often wonder if it's because she's at an age where peers become more important, or if our home feels too sad for her.  

He spends so much time playing video games.  His friends do too, but I can't help but think that part of it is an attempt to distract himself from the reality of his dad's death.

Many people wonder if their child's behaviour is due to age or grief. The answer is often “both.” Sometimes grief magnifies children's behaviours. These behaviours are often how children express needs they may not have words for. These needs can be as unique as the child.