Grief is the pain of loss – any type of loss. It can be the loss of loved ones, a job, opportunity or any number of things. Right now, teenagers are facing tremendous loss: loss of routine, physical relationships, sports seasons, musicals, dances and many other experiences. This is especially true for our graduating 8
th
graders and seniors. There’s a potential that graduation is going to look drastically different for them and many of their “lasts” have been taken away from them.
Of course, as adults, we know that perspective is helpful through crisis. As parents we know our teenagers aren’t living their best life now. However, that doesn’t mean our teens aren’t losing a good portion of the experiences that help shape them into adulthood. As our teens are navigating this loss, now is a great time to solidify our voices in their lives and help walk them through it. This article provides seven steps to help your teens through this pandemic (or any) crisis.