Grandparents are experts when it comes to spoiling their grandchildren with love and affection.
Whether their grandchildren are still children or grown adults, grandparents will always hold a special place in their heart, so it’s difficult to cope with the loss when they pass away.
Many grandchildren have close relationships with their grandparents, and they may have been more like parents in their eyes. Losing a grandparent isn’t something anyone wants to go through — especially if both grandparents die within a close period — but death is inevitable.
By finding healthy ways to cope with grief and memorialize your grandparent, you can honor their life and remember your memories with them forever.
Coping with Grief
When it comes to death, children and adults grieve differently. Children may be confused by the loss of their grandparent and not fully understand the permanence of death. This could be their first experience with death, so parents should determine the best way to talk to them about death in a way that they’ll understand.
For older grandchildren that understand death, remember that while you’re coping the loss of your grandparents, your parents and other relatives also are grieving the loss. You can heal together by keeping communication open and talking about how you’re feeling. Some other ways to manage grief are through exercise, hobbies, meditation, or another activity that’s relaxing and enjoyable to you.
When grieving, you may have mixed feelings of sadness, anxiety, worry, frustration, and other emotions. You may have difficulty sleeping, a loss of appetite, a loss of interest in social activities, and physically feel tired, weak, and achy. Remember, there’s no timeframe for grief; grieve for however long feels right for you. However, if your grief symptoms get worse and affect your ability to function in daily life, consider seeking professional guidance.
Memorialization
From keepsakes to traditions, you can help ease your grief by memorializing your grandparents in a meaningful way. Your memento can reflect their favorite hobbies and interests. If they liked to garden, plant a tree in their honor. If they liked to crochet, make a memorial blanket. Or create a personalized bookmark if they loved to read. Check out these memorial ideas for more inspiration.
If you’d rather create a ritual in their honor, it can be something you do annually, or as often as you’d like. If you want, you can even make it a family tradition. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Visit their gravesite or the place their ashes were scattered.
- Keep a journal to write memories inside.
- Make their favorite meal or their signature recipe.
- Watch a movie that you always watched together.
- Simply set aside time during the day to think about them.
Inspirational Quotes
Here are a few quotes about grief and death to help comfort you as you’re grieving the loss of a grandparent.
“Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.” — Unknown
“Sometimes our grandmas and grandpas are like grand-angels.” — Lexie Saige
“My grandfather taught me everything, except how to live without him.” — Unknown
“Those whom we have loved never really leave us. They live on forever in our hearts, and cast their radiant light onto our every shadow.” — Sylvana Rossetti
“My grandmother once said that grief is the price we pay for love.” — Prince William
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