Love, Hugs and Hope

Hello,

I'm Christy Monson, a retired Marriage and Family Therapist who adores children and loves to write.

I've raised six of my own children, watched other kids grow, and worked with a lot of youth in therapy. Many young people experience sadness and disappointment in their lives. They may encounter separation from a parent through divorce, death of a grandparent, loss of a family pet, or many other tragedies. This book gives parents and children a way to work through these life-impacting incidents and move forward with positive energy and hope.

Author Note

Love, Hugs, Hope

When Scary Things Happen

Tragedy is frightening for everyone, especially children. We, as adults, try to make sense out of what has happened, but a child may be unable to do that because of their limited view of the world.

It is important for parents to listen to a child’s feelings. Validate what they have to say. For instance, when a child is explaining what happened and how they felt, you can say, “How frightening for you,” or “That sounds very scary.”

Teach them:

1.      Love heals

2.      Light is stronger than dark.

Art is a wonderful way for children to get their feelings out. The rule of thumb is that the more tactile the medium, the greater the feeling level elicited. So a sand tray story, clay figures, and finger paint will extract more emotion than crayons or colored pencils.

When tragedy strikes, our first thought is disbelief. Then comes anger and later grief. Listen for clues to see what your child is feeling. If your child is angry, let him hit a pillow or do some physical activity to release feelings.

Above all, hold and hug each other in your family. Love helps us through crisis. Take some time to enjoy the incredible blessing of being with those close to you.