Little Bear answered, “About him being dead and how sad I am without him.”
“Then just close your eyes for a moment,” said Mama Bear, “and think about the fun times you
had together while he was alive. When were you happiest?”
With her eyes closed, Little Bear answered, “Most of all I liked sitting on his lap while he told
me funny stories. I liked it when he helped me make cards for you on birthdays and Mother’s Day.
He always liked what I did and told me how he loved me.”
“Then,” said Mama Bear, “when you think about him in the future, it might be helpful to just
close your eyes and remember those special moments you shared with him.”
She did. And that is how Little Bear helped move from being sad to enjoying glad memories of
Grandpa Bear.
STORY 52
MANAGING GRIEF: A KID STORYTherapeutic Characteristics
Problems Addressed
■ Death
■ Loss
■ GriefResources Developed
■ Acknowledging loss
■ Learning that grief is okay
■ Experiencing the stages of grief
■ Learning to move on
■ Finding ways to adjust after griefOutcomes Offered
■ Appropriate grieving
■ Acceptance of the stages of adjustment
■ Strategies for moving forward
It is always sad when someone or something close to us dies. The first time Bill experienced that
was when Spot, his dog, died. Spot was more than a dog to Bill. He had been his best friend for as
long as he could remember. He had been there longer than Bill’s sister, Janet, and he was always at
Bill’s side even when his closest human friend, Troy, wasn’t.
Spot would play with Bill whenever he wanted. He would lay his head quietly on Bill’s lap when
Bill wanted to talk about some of those things that he never talked to anyone else about. Spot would
stand, growling, between Bill and his father if Bill’s father got angry with Bill. There was no doubt
that Spot was his best buddy and always had been.
However, Spot was getting older. His fur was going grayer, and he waddled slowly to the door
CREATING THOUGHTSCreating Helpful Thoughts 141