Coping with friends family and social situations

One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends Why don’t they get it? The death of a child is devastating in any circumstances. As we suffer such deep grief, we look to our friends and family for support and understanding. However, some people react in ways we do not expect. Their reactions might be very difficult for us to deal with and could even make us feel worse, not better. We also have to deal with social situations with people we aren’t so close to, as well as new people. All of this can make us anxious. In this leaflet we will look at some common themes and experiences of bereaved parents. We hope that reading this will help you to feel less alone, as well as provide some ideas for coping in your own particular circumstances. The main focus in this leaflet is on reactions that are difficult to cope with. Thankfully, this is not the entire picture. Many of our friends, family members and colleagues treat us with kindness and consideration, but it is the problematic reactions that we will write about here. The Compassionate Friends (TCF) has published other leaflets about relationships with surviving children, partners and step parents that you might like to read. The discussion in this leaflet goes beyond the immediate household to other family or relatives, to friends, to work colleagues, and anyone else we might come across in our daily lives. Coping with friends, family and social situations