One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends 2 Our grief for our beloved child may have left us exhausted physically and mentally. Home is our place to feel safe. Hopefully we receive the care and support of a partner, if we have one, or other family members. Their concern may be a blanket that shields us in some respects from the demands of daily life, which is needed as we may not have our usual energy or motivation to take care of everything we used to do. The workplace is a very different environment. Unlike our home, it has carried on without us. When we return to work, we will have to rejoin a world that has continued on regardless of our loss. We will have responsibilities and work to take care of, and people to interact with, no matter how much we are grieving. In some respects, this might offer a welcome respite or distraction from our grief, but many of us bereaved parents struggle with a return to work. If we are self-employed, we may have to focus back on our work quite soon, whether we feel ready or not. Going back to work “I had no choice but to return to work before I felt ready. By the time I got in the car to drive home, I was exhausted from ‘wearing a mask’. Finally, in the privacy of the car, I could let the tears flow.” “I returned after a relatively short time. It suited me as I work part time, and I love everything about my job. It was one aspect of my life where I still retained some control.” The decision about when to return to work may not be entirely up to us. Circumstances may require us to go back relatively soon, whereas others can stay off work for months or even years. The timing of our return can depend on a number of factors, such as: Back to work After the death of our child our whole life changes, radically and forever.
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