We just released our newest podcast trilogy for The Last Track. This time, Brian talked about how to start the conversation about death to family members and specifically children, as well as how to decide whether to bring a child to a funeral.

Should I Bring My Child to a Funeral?

Deciding whether or not to bring a child to a funeral is a very difficult and sometimes overwhelming decision. Brian Norris talks about how to decide whether a child should attend a funeral and how to present the choice of whether to go or not to a child. This podcast references an article written by Kenneth J. Doka, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and counseling at the College of New Rochelle and a senior consultant to the Hospice Foundation of America called "should children attend funerals". To read that article, please follow the link below: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/good-mourning/201805/should-children-attend-funerals

Link to Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1336423/7798228-should-i-bring-my-child-to-a-funeral

How Do I Talk to My Child About Death?

Grief is a difficult subject to talk about, especially when talking about it to a child for the first time. Brian talks about ways to help a child process grief and understand the permanence of death. He covers how grief can be expressed through the body and through actions, as well as how to explain the feeling of grief to a child. There are activities that Brian suggests, which are linked in the description below. Brian also talks about how grief can change a child or young adult. Below are some of the resources that Brian refers to from The Dougy Center.

https://www.dougy.org/grief-support-resources/kids
https://www.dougy.org/grief-support-resources/teens
https://www.dougy.org/news-media/podcasts

Link to Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1336423/7798264-how-do-i-talk-to-my-child-about-death

Ways to start the conversation about death with a family member

The Conversation Project,  a public engagement campaign to promote end-of-life discussions, found that 95% of individuals want to or are willing to talk about end-of-life wishes and 97% believe it is important to have their wishes in writing. Brian talks about five reasons to make a pre-arrangement, as well as things that you can use to begin that conversation. He also covers questions to consider talking about with a loved one. 

To find out more about the Conversation Project, or to download a kit, you can follow this link: https://theconversationproject.org/get-started

Link to Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1336423/7798348-ways-to-start-the-conversation-about-death-with-a-family-member