Every July, Bereaved Parents Awareness Month offers a moment to recognize families who are living with the loss of a child. At CHKD, we know that grief does not follow a timeline. A child’s life, love, and memory remain part of a family’s story, and no family should have to carry that grief alone.
A Message of Care for Families
The death of a child affects parents, siblings, grandparents, caregivers, and loved ones in deeply personal ways. Some days may feel heavy. Some moments may bring comfort through a memory, a story, a photo, or the sound of a child’s name being spoken.
Families may grieve in different ways and at different times. Children and siblings may move between questions, sadness, play, and routine as they try to understand loss. Honest, gentle conversations and steady support from trusted adults can help children feel safe as they process grief.
For parents, remembrance can be an important part of healing. Speaking a child’s name, sharing favorite memories, honoring birthdays or anniversaries, and creating meaningful traditions can help keep love and connection present over time.
How to Support a Bereaved Family
- Say the child’s name when it feels appropriate and welcomed.
- Share a memory or simply listen without trying to fix the grief.
- Remember important dates, holidays, and anniversaries.
- Offer practical support in specific, simple ways.
- Continue checking in after the first weeks and months have passed.
CHKD Is Here with Compassion and Remembrance
Through CHKD’s Grief, Loss, and Remembrance Program, families can find support, resources, and opportunities to honor the memory of their child. The program is designed to meet families with compassion as they navigate the days, months, and years following a loss.
This Bereaved Parents Awareness Month, CHKD honors the children who are deeply loved, remembered, and missed every day. We hold their families in our hearts and remain committed to walking alongside them with care, remembrance, and support.
