For many children and families, the holiday season can be a time to celebrate with friends and family, but it can also be a challenging time for families affected by loss and struggling with grief. Whether families are navigating loss related to COVID-19, recent disasters and violence, separation, deployment, or other events, finding ways to cope during the holiday season can be difficult. Children and teens may react differently to grief and loss, and the last few years have made it especially challenging. As many families seek to carry forward old traditions to remember loved ones, many may choose to create new traditions to celebrate in ways that feel most comfortable for their family during this difficult time. The NCTSN has resources to help children, youth, and families to cope with challenges related to loss and grief this upcoming holiday season.

Supporting Children and Teens During this Holiday Season
Offers parents and caregivers strategies and ideas for supporting children and teens during the holiday season. This fact sheet provides tips that parents can use to talk to their children and teens about how they are feeling and changes to holiday celebrations and traditions. It also shares tips that families can use to make this holiday season still feel special, including creative ways in which families can stay connected to loved ones and friends. Ideas for self-care and additional resources are also included in the fact sheet.

Helping Children with Traumatic Separation or Traumatic Grief Related to COVID-19
Offers information on how to talk with children about traumatic separation or traumatic grief as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. This tip sheet is for caregivers or other adults supporting children with traumatic separation or traumatic grief related to COVID-19.

Holidays, Celebrations and Traumatically Bereaved Children
Discusses the ways holidays and other personally meaningful dates can serve as trauma and grief reminders. This webinar points out how culture can dictate children's reactions to reminders and stresses the importance of therapists understanding their clients' culture.

Childhood Traumatic Grief: Information for Military Parents or Caregivers
Provides information to military parents and caregivers on Childhood Traumatic Grief. This fact sheet outlines how children grieve, what Childhood Traumatic Grief is, who develops Childhood Traumatic Grief, the signs a child might have Childhood Traumatic Grief, and what military parents or caregivers can do to help.

Childhood Traumatic Grief: Youth Information Sheet
Offers information for youth to help them understand the differences between grief and traumatic grief, the signs and symptoms of traumatic grief in children and youth, and what to do to feel better. Also available in Russian, Ukrainian, and German.

The Power of Parenting: How to Help Your Child After a Parent or Caregiver Dies
Offers guidance around helping children cope after the death of a loved one. Information is provided about how to face new fears in the context of bereavement, how grieving caregivers can take care of their own needs, how to help children hold on to the old while embracing the new and how to create comforting connections. In this fact sheet, co-developed by parents and professionals, parents share their knowledge gained from experience and provide practical, real life examples, that can help support families and their children who are experiencing grief and bereavement.

Pause-Reset-Nourish (PRN)* to Promote Wellbeing: Use as Needed to Care for Your Wellness!
Provides information about the specific self-care strategy of Pause-Reset-Nourish, or PRN. This fact sheet acknowledges the levels of stress that professionals may be currently experiencing and offers a way to address unwanted reactions and promote and replenish wellbeing and enhance resilience. Also available in Spanish.