Welcome to Funeral Tips

Keep a Journal

Journaling is an excellent way to cope with the many emotions you are experiencing. Visit a journaling category for more information and tips.

Coping at Christmas

Christmas is a very difficult time. Surround yourself only with supportive and understanding people. If you feel the need to cry, step away and cry. For some mothers, Christmas is too difficult to be around other family members and children. If this is the case, or there are any doubts in your mind, do what you need to do for you.

Don´t Feel Guilty for Lauging and Smiling

If you have lost a loved one, do not feel guilty for living and laughing; they would want us to get on with our lives. The loss of a loved one, and especially a child, is difficult; but laughing and living is part of the healing process.

Peer Parenting

If you have had a miscarriage, or lost a newborn, ask the hospital if a ´peer parent´ is available to you. The ´peer parent´ will, in all probability, have experienced a loss themself, and will understand your grief, and fully understand your loss.

Allow Others To Help

Allow those in your life to help you. Be honest about what you need. Your friends and family are experiencing the loss also. They are also experiencing a different type of loss. They see you, a person they love and care about, hurting and in pain.

There are NO time limits

Allow yourself the time that you need to grieve the loss of a loved one. The grieving process is different for everyone; it may take you longer or shorter to grieve your loss than it would someone else. Do not rush yourself and do not feel that you should be ´over´ this loss. Sensitive times bring on sensitive feelings.

Coping With The Anniversary

The days before the anniversary of your loved one´s death are more likely to be harder than the day of the anniversary itself; we do not really know what to expect. On the day of the anniversary, allow yourself to grieve and mourn; cry if you need to. Surround yourself with family or friends in you feel the need; busying yourself is a wonderful way to get through the day. Remembering the good times and special moments makes the day eaiser.

*Ways to Cope

Whether it is the loss of a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, other family or a close friend, a death effects us deeply, and everyone copes in different ways. There are various ways of coping that are listed in subsequent tips. If coping seems impossible, get counseling for yourself.

Talk Openly About Your Feelings

Coping with the death of a loved one is allowing yourself to express all of your emotions, no matter how good or bad they may be. By keeping all feelings and emotions inside, it makes the loss feel more intense. Once you are able to express these feelings, you begin to heal.

Support Group

I often hear, "My support group has been wonderful for me." We memorialize our children and spouses, speak of them with special memories, and lean on one another during our hard times. It is especially important for people, because when a loved one dies, it may feel like you are the only person this happened to. Many are able to meet many wonderful people who were experiencing the same type of pain and loss they are/ were.

Set Traditions

To help cope with the loss of a loved one, set traditions for special holidays: decorate the gravesite for Christmas, birthday, Easter, etc. On the anniversary of the death, busy yourself with friends.