David Kessler explains how teenagers grieve differently than adults. He emphasizes letting them process loss at their own pace and encouraging them to share feelings and memories rather than rushing them through it.
How did teenagers experience grief?
Teenagers experience grief in a very teenage way. So don't be surprised if a teenager seems unaffected by death, because teenage years is all about having a facade and being able to handle things. Just know your teenager is dealing with it. And I've had many people who have said, I I asked my teenager how they were doing or how was the funeral? And they said cool. And the person gets irate. That's just being a teenager. And we stay in character even through the loss of a loved one. So the best way is to talk about that loss with your teenager. Share your feelings, don't expect them to share theirs. Talk about your loved one, share a favorite memory, and then just be willing to let them deal with this at their own pace. And know as they get older, we revisit grief over and over again and come back and see it from different ages.
