When Parents Die

by Rebecca Abrams, Rebecca Abrams

The death of a parent marks an emotional and psychological watershed in a person's life. For children and teenagers, the loss of a parent if not handled sensitively can be a lasting trauma, and for adults too, a parent's death can be a tremendous blow. When Parents Die speaks to bereaved children of all ages. Rebecca Abrams draws on her personal and professional understandings of parental loss, as well as the experiences of many other adults, teenagers and children, to provide the reader with an honest, compassionate and insightful exploration of the experience of losing a parent. The book covers the entire course of grieving, from the immediate aftermath of a parent's death through to the point of recovery, paying particular attention to the many circumstances that can prolong and complicate mourning, including sudden death. An indispensible aid to the bereaved and the many professionals who work with them, this book is written in a clear and sympathetic style. It has been fully revised for this third edition to take recent research into account.

Genres: Grief, Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction

264 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 1992

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just finished this and it’s one of the most helpful things I’ve come across since my mum died. There’s a lot in here aimed at kids and teenagers but it was so reassuring and helpful to see my own experiences reflected back at me. I lost my mum in 2020 aged 25 and it’s been very hard. But I made it harder for myself by expecting that I would just get over it within 2 years. And that was before COVID came along. While a lot of it is focussed on kids, I think anyone who has lost a parent would get something out of this. Would highly recommend.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on grief and the impacts of parents’ death on children; focuses on grief of children, teens and young adults but I found some things applicable for adults as well.

[Emma Steel · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s something for everyone in this book. It explained a lot of things for me, although at times it was a little hard to read.

[Ronnie]

I know these losses. I found this book far too dense, and in a style that didn’t have enough warmth to comfort while informing. Not sure who would be reading this at the time of organizing a funeral, but there are words about that too.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. I lost my father in childhood and this book has helped me understand that grief doesnt follow a strict course, and we all cope with things in our own way in our own time. This book made me cry, and encouraged greater insight into my present life and how this has been affected by my past. Well worth reading- easy to read and navigate

[Joy]

This is probably the best book I've read on loss - and I've read a lot! Not just good for parent-loss, but for all losses.