A child's understanding of death develops in stages shaped by cognitive maturity and experience, and knowing that trajectory helps families make sense of a child's questions and reactions.

 Supporting children through grief requires understanding their unique ways of processing loss while providing consistent compassion, honesty, and developmentally appropriate guidance.

When a loved one dies, the whole family feels the shift. Sometimes it’s loud—tears, arguments, silences that fill the room. Other times, it’s quiet but constant, like a pressure behind the eyes or the weight of an empty chair at dinner.