I received this message, asking me, "It’s just me and the kids at Christmas and I don’t know how I’m going to get through it without breaking down.  I would appreciate any advice you can give me".  In this Blog posting I hope that I am providing some tips and advice to help all the widows that have young children. Going it alone can be tough at this time of the year. It’s crazy to pretend that everything is the same when it’s not. Here are some tips to help you and your children survive the season without your loved one. Include children in any discussion about the holidays. It is a time of great insecurity for them and they need the security and support of the Let them know in advance that Christmas is still going to be celebrated and consult them before making major changes. Get them involved about an appropriate gift or donation in memory of a loved one. Make them part of the process. They may also like the idea of a special candle that would burn in memory of the one who has died. Let them buy it! Give the children a break from the family. If they want to spend part of their Christmas holidays with their friends, let them. Encourage children to talk about the one who has died. This can be a painful experience, but it can prove helpful in allowing them to express their feelings. Organize a simple treasure hunt with clues that eventually lead to a small gift hidden in the house. Make clues fun and simple, according to each child’s age and ability. Go for a drive and admire the Christmas Don’t try to keep everything the same: It isn’t and as sad as that fact is, it still has to be Evaluate family traditions and discuss with the children what traditions they want to keep and what they want to change. Remember the spiritual side of Christmas. Most churches offer a variety of social events for families during the holidays. Get in the Spirit – If you can, go to their school Christmas programs and reread some of the great Christmas stories. Spend some time watching Christmas movies, especially the comedies. If you are facing Christmas alone for the first time, I encourage you to reach out to someone you trust and share your feelings with them. Mary Francis, The Sisterhood of Widows widows and kids at christmas, the sisterhood of widows, widow support, grieving, how to grieve, grief, life of a widow, #thesisterhoodofwidows, #widow, #grief, #griefsupport, #widowsupport, #howtogrieve, #widowshelpingwidows