Parent Wellbeing

How to Support your Teen experiencing Grief and Loss

Losing a loved one can be a difficult experience for anyone, but it can be especially challenging for teenagers. As a parent, it's important to know how to support your grieving teenager during this time. 

Here are some tips to help you support your teenager through their grief:

Be Honest and Open

It's important to be honest and open with your teenager about what has happened. Answer their questions truthfully and provide them with the information they need to understand the situation.

Listen and Validate their Feelings

It's important to listen to your teenager and validate their feelings. Let them know that it's okay to feel sad, angry, or confused. Avoid minimizing their feelings or telling them how they should feel.

Stick to Routines

Grieving can disrupt daily routines, so it's important to try to maintain some sense of normalcy. Stick to regular mealtimes, bedtimes, and other routines as much as possible.

Encourage Self-care 

Encourage your teenager to take care of themselves during this time. This might include getting enough rest, eating healthy foods, and engaging in regular exercise. Encourage them to engage in activities they enjoy, like reading, drawing, or listening to music.

Seek Support

It's important to have a support system during the grieving process. This might include family members, friends, or a grief counsellor. Encourage your teenager to reach out for help if they need it.

Be Patient

Grief is a process, and it takes time to heal. Be patient with your teenager and don't expect them to feel better overnight. It's normal for them to have good days and bad days, and it's okay for them to take the time they need to grieve.

Remember, everyone grieves differently, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. As a parent, your role is to provide support and understanding during this difficult time. With your help, your teenager can get through this challenging experience and begin to heal.

Griefline: 1300 845 745

If you’re unsure on how to support a grieving friend, you may find this video useful:

Lego Club - Donations Required

Our Inclusion and Wellbeing teams are running a Lego Club for our students to help build social connections across the College amongst peers. We are offering a safe and inclusive space where students can engage in projects of interest amongst like-minded peers. 

To make this project a success, we are after any donations of Lego that you can give. So, dig out those old Lego tubs, unstack those dust gathering storage boxes, and take back that space that was once yours…

Please contact Courtney Moran or Talea-Jane Simpson to organise this, or to offer any support that you can.

Courtney Moran

cmo@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au

Talea-Jane Simpson

tsi@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au 

Parent Support Services

Parentline: 13 22 89

If you would like further ongoing support, it is recommended that you make an appointment with your family General Practitioner (G.P.) where you can discuss the concerns that you may behaving. The G.P. will then be able to make the appropriate referral for ongoing support as required.

Student Wellbeing Team

Email: wellbeing@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au

Guiseppe Relia – Wellbeing Coordinator 

Talea-Jane Simpson – School Counsellor

Lea Marrison - Mental Health Practitioner

Tajinder Wulff - Mental Health Practitioner