tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303906221917588052.post8359121368707012077..comments2023-10-19T10:51:43.826-04:00Comments on Author Amok: Guest Post for 9/11: Talking MG and Loss with Kerry O'Malley CerraAuthor Amokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13636391982938592789noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303906221917588052.post-14442118442161973832015-09-19T16:11:34.928-04:002015-09-19T16:11:34.928-04:00Irene and Margaret, thank you both. And Margaret, ...Irene and Margaret, thank you both. And Margaret, my heart goes out to your student. You can be her champion for hope, even if she doesn't realize she needs someone--because deep down, she probably does. Hugs to you both.Kerry O'Malley Cerrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09920234567809483943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303906221917588052.post-7696260994817542342015-09-12T16:22:00.646-04:002015-09-12T16:22:00.646-04:00Thanks so much for this post. I have a young stud...Thanks so much for this post. I have a young student who is only 10 and will mark the one year anniversary of her mother's death this month. I am so torn about how to handle this. She told me about their balloon launch for the mother's birthday a few weeks ago. This prompted me to write a story for her. She read it. But I haven't been able to read her response. She's not a shy child, but she doesn't talk much about this loss. Thanks for helping me to see that hope is the direction to look for. I have not given her books to read that have the loss of a parent. I'm not sure she is ready, but we read aloud "The Crossover" and she had to help me get through it. Resilience, yes. Relationship. Hope. Margaret Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04434866104385187658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303906221917588052.post-20997631436654286332015-09-12T10:03:57.271-04:002015-09-12T10:03:57.271-04:00Thank you, Laura, for sharing this post, and hello...Thank you, Laura, for sharing this post, and hello Florida-Kerry from Alabama-Irene! Yes yes yes to HOPE. Katherine Paterson in her book of speeches addresses this topic, how kids need to read about loss and how to cope with it BEFORE they experience it in real life. That books offer a safe way to deal with feelings and provide hope and proof that life really can and does go on. And yes, that term "resilience" is often thrown around when we adults are faced with our own powerlessness -- what can we really DO to help kids in pain? We can acknowledge their feelings, we can listen, we can point them to the joy found in leaves changing colors, a smile, petting a dog. All those small moments of hope to help cope with big losses. Thanks for sharing!Irene Lathamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04905936104127707762noreply@blogger.com