Grief in children: New impulses for everyday daycare at daycare on November 11th, 2025

Grief in children: New impulses for everyday daycare at daycare on November 11th, 2025

A study day was held at the St. Michael daycare center on November 11, 2025, which dealt intensively with the topic of grief and death in children. Catholic Church Göttingen reports that grief can be triggered by many different events, not just the death of a loved one. Separations, illnesses and the loss of home or identity also play a role. The participants had the opportunity to openly reflect on their own experiences of loss.

The symbolic act of breaking and putting a cup back together was particularly impressive. This served as an impulse for the phases of grief: functioning, understanding, feeling, accepting, changing and returning to the place of relationship. Grief is described as a labyrinthine process that does not proceed in a straight line, but involves many steps back and forth. Children often grieve differently than adults: they show honest, spontaneous reactions and alternate between deep sadness and playful joy of life.

Practical help for everyday daycare

In several working groups, the participants developed practical aids that can be integrated into everyday daycare. This includes a mourning kit that contains various materials, a collection of ideas for rituals and an emergency plan that sets out clear communication channels in the event of death. These resources are important to support children during their grieving phase and to provide them with a safe environment.

The final event took place in the church, where a light was lit in the broken and reassembled cups. This symbolized hope for new growth from the broken and gave those in attendance a sense of confidence.

Understanding childish grief

Coping with loss is a traumatic experience for children that is often difficult to overcome. Loud Help in the event of death Children experience grief differently than adults and need support in different stages of grief. Adults are often unsure how to deal with the topic of death because it is often taboo. However, honest conversations are crucial to helping children understand the loss and process their grief.

Children's reactions to grief vary depending on their age group. Young children have a limited understanding of death, while elementary school children can begin to grasp the finality of loss. Adolescents show more complex grief reactions, often influenced by social contacts. It is all the more important that children have stable caregivers who give them security and time to process their feelings.

Child-friendly language is essential to avoid misunderstandings. Examples and rituals help to make the process of grieving tangible. With the help of memorial activities and the opportunity to talk about their feelings, children can better cope with the loss.

Overall, it's about offering the children sensitive support and respecting their individual grieving processes. The ability to talk about it and create rituals can help little ones integrate the deceased into their lives while finding comfort in their grief.