Those words from my 3 1/2-year-old daughter after her brother died broke my heart. Though I had a masters degree in early childhood and was teaching parenting classes at the time, this was no longer parenting as usual, and I didn't know how to help my daughter. I couldn't find anyone to tell me what to do to help her grow up whole and happy without her brother and best friend. I had to figure it out for myself.
I don't want it to be the same for you.
I'm Michele Benyo, bereaved parent, MEd, Certified Grief Recovery Specialist™️, early childhood parent coach, and founder of Good Grief Parenting.
Since my 6-year-old son died of cancer, I've spent years learning all I can about loss, grief, and living with grief—particularly children's grief and sibling loss suffered in the early years by the youngest of grievers. Their grief is often unseen—yet story after story from grown up bereaved siblings bears out the deep impact on young children when they lose a sibling. Too often parents simply don't know what to do.
Parents are more capable than they realize—YOU are more capable than you realize—to help your young children heal and grow up whole and happy. Even when you yourself are devastated by grief. I'm here to share with you what I've learned from my own and others' experiences, to encourage you, offer you compassion, assurance, hope, confidence in your own heart-wisdom, optimism, and the tools and support you need not only to see your way forward, but to live forward and enjoy life.