The Worst Loss: How Families Heal from the Death of a Child

by Barbara D. Rosof

The death of a child is like no other loss. The Worst Loss will help families who have experienced this to know what they are facing, understand what they are feeling, and appreciate their own needs and timetables.

Genres: Grief, Death

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[Amanda Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loss of child -Excellent

This provided much needed resources since I recently lost my son. I'm happy to have had him 30 yrs and glad to know I'm not alone in how I feel.

[Judith Praag · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the books that brought solace during period of grief and mourning after my baby had died at birth in 1993 and the following four miscarriages. There's nothing like recognition of what you've gone through/ are going through yourself... People in mourning can use all the help they can get. Parents who have lost an infant benefit from books that acknowledge their loss as substantial.

[Mary Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book on parental grieving that I have found. Goes beyond the basic 5 stages.

[Julie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book on parental grief. It has many helpful suggestions, plus it helped me realize that what I am feeling is normal in this situation.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important insights into a devastating loss. I liked that the author is a child psychotherapist and not a mother who has experienced the loss of a child; I think the professional distance is important. You can learn essential lessons from both, but I think I needed a more professional tone. I like that she stresses that each member of the family will have a different way of grieving, a different timetable, and that they might not be able to help each other all the time. She writes about how as a parent, you create an invisible “canopy of protection” for them and their death is that much more devastating since you feel responsible. “Nothing bad will ever happen to you” and “nothing bad will ever happen to me.” What child doesn’t believe this, or have to believe this at some points in their life?

[Gwendolyn Broadmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Worst Loss: How Families Heal from the Death of a Child, by Barbara D. Rosof: I highly recommend this wonderful work. To those of you reeling from the deep enduring anguish, caused by the death of a child, please know that Ms. Rosof truly “gets it”—this pain like no other. Although I read The Worst Loss many years ago, her healing words remain ever current. And during my direct-support with bereaved parents, this is one of the first books I turn to. Reading these validating and compassionate words can calm your thoughts, easing you into the next day, one moment at a time. Gwendolyn Broadmore, author of Life Came to a Standstill.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grieving is hard work - unavoidable. For parents: take care of yourself, give yourself time, reach out to others. Timetable varies but generally will take four years before life feels like it is on track. Meaningful references: impact on family as a whole, parents, siblings (based on age), rough timetable, tasks to work through while grieving, specific chapters dealing with various types of death (stillbirths/infant deaths, terminal illness, accidents, murders, suicides).

[Bridgette Mongeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I work with grief a lot as I am a sculptor who creates memorial for cemeteries and prayer gardens. Often they are of children. I would recommend this book to any of my clients and would highly recommend it as reading for anyone who is in grief or knows someone who is going through this.

[Lettie Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very helpful