I Don't Know What To Say to a Grieving Parent (part 1) -E436

What do you say to a grieving parent?

For many people, the fear of saying the wrong thing leads to silence, distance, and disappearance. But for bereaved parents, that silence often hurts far more than imperfect words ever could.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Bruce Barker and Kristin Glenn speak directly to the friends, family members, co-workers, and supporters who want to help grieving parents but feel unsure how.

Together, they share honest insight into:
• Why presence matters more than perfect words
• Simple phrases that genuinely help
• Why saying a child’s name matters
• The impact of silence and avoidance
• Common responses that unintentionally hurt
• How grief does not need fixing, it needs witnessing

This episode is both practical and deeply personal, offering compassionate guidance for anyone walking beside a bereaved parent.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:11

Welcome to Don't Forget to Breathe. I'm Bruce Barker here with my co-host, Kristen Glenn. Before we get into today's episode, I want to take a moment to thank one of the people helping make these conversations possible. Every story we share, every parent we reach, and every episode we published is supported by people who believe no grieving parent should have to walk this road alone. Today's thank you goes to Loretta. Your generosity helps us continue bringing honest conversations about child loss, grief, hope, and healing to parents and families around

Welcome And Why This Matters

SPEAKER_02 0:45

the world. Loretta, thank you for believing in this mission and for helping us create connection, conversation, and community for those living after child loss. We are deeply grateful for your support. Now, today's episode is for the friends, the family members, the coworkers, the neighbors, and the friends who love a grieving parent but quietly wonder, What do I say? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I make it worse? The truth is, silence often hurts more than mistakes. After child loss, many grieving parents experience something unexpected, not just grief, but isolation. People disappear, conversations stop, invitations fade, not because people don't care, but because they are afraid. Afraid of saying the wrong thing, afraid of causing tears, afraid of stepping into pain they don't understand. In this conversation, Kristen and I talk honestly about what actually helps. We share simple phrases that matter, why presence is more important than perfect words, and how remembering and saying a child's name can become one of the greatest gifts you can offer. We also talk about some of the phrases that unintentionally hurt, even when they are said with good intentions, and why grieving parents don't need fixing, they need companionship. If you are supporting someone after child loss, this episode is for you. And if you are a grieving parent listening today, we hope this conversation helps others better understand how to walk beside you. Here is part one of our conversation. I am doing well. So we've been talking about doing more episodes like this that are directed specifically to those who are supporting a breathed parent, friends, family, because we've had those requests. And this particular episode we're excited to share with you because this one is for you. The topic, as you see, and as I just spoke to, is about I don't know what to say to a grieving parent. Well, guess what? We're gonna help with that. The first thing

When Silence Hurts More

SPEAKER_02 3:10

we're gonna talk about is, you know, I don't know what to say. So say this instead, right? So one of the things that as a grieving parent that's happened, it's happened to you, I know it's happened to me, is after child loss, so many people in in my case avoided me because as I found out later, they were afraid of saying the wrong thing. The impact of that is that that silence and that disappearing act it hurt more than if they said the wrong thing. Would you agree?

SPEAKER_00 3:44

Absolutely. It feels like that avoidance of you as a person, the avoidance of the topic. Even if they weren't going to avoid me completely, sometimes it felt like this was everything else could be talked about except for the grief. And that was very hurtful. That made me, you know, choose not to be in certain settings because that even if I was in a room full of people, I could feel very alone if that silence was specific to the grief topic.

SPEAKER_02 4:15

Yeah, I mean, as a brief parent, we don't expect people to fix grief. And I know that's one of the first things that people want to do is you want to fix, you want to help. Those are not the same thing. So fixing is you're trying to interact and change something that can't be changed. You're trying to change a feeling that needs to be there. So that sorrow, that grief, that feeling of loss, you're not going to fix it. But what you can do is be that person, be in that uncomfortable spot, and create a space for comfort without the perfect words, because there's not.

SPEAKER_00 5:03

There is no perfect words. And if people believe that they have the perfect words and they have a script and it's, you know, rehearsed, that's not going to ever feel genuine or like something a grieving parent will really probably appreciate because it's it's too large to try to fix with words. It's it's a forever sorrow. That's a forever journey. I think people kind of overcomplicate the whole process because they fear grief so much. It's not something that we're taught to deal with very well in our culture. But just simplicity in messaging is really powerful.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Absolutely. You know a grieving parent, we remember the sincerity. We don't remember the exact words. But I'm sure we've got listeners right now that are going, okay, but help me out here. What do I say? We're gonna help you out. Absolutely. So here are some things, here are some phrases that you can use that are as long as they're sincere from you, but we're we're gonna give you some pointers, right? One is I don't have words, but I'm here. Right? That's just about being present. That's all we need. Just be here, be in that uncomfortable spot. That's it. And another super simple I've

Simple Phrases That Help

SPEAKER_02 6:43

been thinking about you.

SPEAKER_00 6:46

That was so powerful to have that message come up on my phone with no expectations, no need to answer. It was just, I am thinking of you. Just to have someone that cares and know that you're on their mind. Powerful.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

Yeah. You know, and those that depending on the age, you know, and you're maybe in different parts of the country and you haven't connected a lot along the way, but you remember, you remember the child, and and one of one of the things that you can say that even just opens up a conversation, and it is okay to say this. So if someone's speaking to me that they could say, you know what, I remember Kristen. Or to you, you know what? I remember Zach.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

Ugh, what a gift. Especially as the years pass.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Yeah. And and if you don't have a lot of those memories, hey, tell me about Kristen. Tell me about Zach. Tell me about Easton.

SPEAKER_00 7:50

Yeah. And even if you ask something as simple as you're out to lunch and say, what was their favorite

Say The Child’s Name

SPEAKER_00 7:58

snack? Yeah. You know, it doesn't have to be this deeply complicated question. It can really just be something that's a memory that you would ask someone with a living child. I think people believe that those questions are off the table. And they're they're just as meaningful to have someone ask what's what's his favorite whatever, fill in the blanks. I found it powerful when people would use present tense.

SPEAKER_02 8:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

What about you?

SPEAKER_02 8:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

That was really important to me. I didn't I didn't it was hurtful to have what was, what did he used to? I wanted, you know, what is his favorite animal or snack, or you know, he was he was simple because he was only four, but but um I think it's very helpful to say these things in presence present tense.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

Yeah, present tense definitely, you know, that I've had people say, Well, what was her name? Same name now. Absolutely. It hasn't changed. So instead, if you don't know what's her name, what's his name, that's present tense.

unknown 9:15

Right.

SPEAKER_02 9:15

Absolutely. You're in the moment. One of the things, and if you're just reaching out, so let's say you're not having that face-to-face or or the phone call, but you're you're sending that that text message, and all you have to do to begin that is you do not have to respond to this message. So that takes that obligation off, and you're just passing along that message. So it might be, you know, you don't have to respond to this message. I don't have any words, but I'm here for you.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

You're on my mind today.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

That's it.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

That's it, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:49

But be there. If you're if you say I'm I'm here for you, be there. And yes, it will be uncomfortable. But sit in that uncomfort. Another phrase. This is unfair, and I'm so sorry. Pretty simple one.

unknown 10:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

This one, really powerful, and we've talked about how people go away, is you can say, you know what? I'm here next week too, not just today. You've given that brief parent something to look forward to. Because we've talked about this in previous episodes that people disappear. You know, there's a lot of people there at the beginning, and then they just kind of go

Show Up Next Week Too

SPEAKER_02 10:35

away. But when you make that commitment, I'm here next week too.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

Yeah, and taking that to another step of I'm gonna reach out a week from today, and if you don't answer, just know that I am I'm gonna be reaching out once a week, only if you can live up to that commitment. But what a powerful thing, like you said, for someone to know they're saying they're going to be there, and then wow, I hear from them every Wednesday. At some point during the day, I get a text that I don't have to respond to or a call. It's such an incredible message of I know your grief is going to last, and I'm going to last.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

I'm not I'm not here as a sprinter. You know, I'm not here just for that first two weeks after the memorial service. You can you can count on me. I'm a constant.

SPEAKER_02 11:27

Yeah, so you're gonna make that call. So you're saying, I'm gonna call you. Whether it was a text, but if let's say it's a phone call, I'm gonna call you next week. But if you're not in a good place, you don't have to answer.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

Because they're gonna see you reached out, they're gonna see you call. Because this is about them. It's not about you needing a response.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:48

So you preface it.

SPEAKER_00 11:50

It's a selfless act to support people that are grieving. It's not often going to involve a lot of kudos or a lot of affirmations because our emotional energy bucket is pretty empty. So you have to really be true to yourself if you're able to be consistent and make a phone call once a month, once a week, whatever that looks like, but then be true to the commitment that you've made.

SPEAKER_02 12:15

Yeah. Another one. And I know we've talked about this before. We're compiling them for you in a single episode. But one is, can I sit with you? You're not trying to fix anything. It's just your presence. Can I sit with you?

SPEAKER_00 12:35

And I would add to that, can I sit with you? And I want you to know that whatever you want to talk about, I can hold. Because I feel like sometimes brief parents feel like they need to protect others from their dark thoughts. Their thoughts of, do I want to survive this? Can I survive this? Maybe their dark thoughts of the last time they saw their child in the trauma room or wherever it was, and they're they're holding that all in because they want to not upset others. So if you can really go into that space, not everybody can, and again, don't commit to something you can't. But if you can say, not only can I sit with you, but I want you to know whatever you want and need to talk about, I'm here for it. I can hold it.

SPEAKER_02 13:23

A hundred percent. And so here's another one. I don't understand this kind of pain, but I care about you. That goes farther, in my opinion, than the st I don't know, the standard phrase.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

I just can't imagine what that's I couldn't, I couldn't survive this if my child died. That was something people would say, and I'd think, what does that indicate? Does that indicate your love is deeper or I've been selected for this because I'm a strong person? So what you just said is so much different than, you know, the

Holding Hard Thoughts Together

SPEAKER_00 14:01

I can't imagine I couldn't do it. It's I don't understand this kind of pain. It's such a real statement.

SPEAKER_02 14:08

It is an absolute real statement.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

The other thing I think people try to do is try to compare it to something they do understand. And even if you've lost a child, you don't understand this person's journey. So even as a brief parent, I never would say, I understand your pain. Because I certainly don't. You and I are friends. I don't understand your pain around Kristen's death. I didn't have that relationship with Kristen. She was not my daughter. I'm not going to pretend to know your grief.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

You know, so making that statement, I don't understand this kind of pain, but I care about you. Again, you're putting that focus back on them as far as that it's not about you, right? You're saying, I care about you.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:51

And it's back on back on them. Because making that statement, I just can't imagine. My thought is, well, maybe you should try.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

That's a scary road. So then again, that's kind of turning it back, and that's not what we that's not what we want. That's not that's why it's not helpful.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

But I but could they try with curiosity around, I mean, my mom read about parent grief. You know, she was a grieving grandma, but she did try really hard to do it. Sounds like a more technical term than it's meant to, but she researched what's this journey like. She talked to other grieving parents, she was curious, she went to groups with me, like she tried to think about what that would be like.

SPEAKER_02 15:37

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

Cause she deeply cared.

SPEAKER_02 15:40

100%. You know, the honesty that you can offer someone, it goes way deeper and feels far more safe than having some kind of polished responses or believing you have to know the right thing to say because you don't. The first phrase we said, I don't have words, but I hear. It's pretty simple.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

I think there's such a fear in people supporting any griever, and I think especially bereaved parents, in, oh, I didn't mean to remind you. I didn't mean to cause you to cry. And I used to tell people, you let me cry. If you think you're reminding me that my son died, let me educate you that that is on my mind every breath I take. Less intensely as time passes, but I am forever, every minute aware that this is part of my reality and that he's no longer on this earth. So I think sometimes that fear of, I do say your child's name, but then you cry, isn't that a bad thing? Or you look, you know, you you are sadder than when we started this conversation. It's actually you have given this person permission to be real back. And that is such a gift. It's such an incredible thing. One, our child is remembered, and two, that person is not afraid of whatever feelings we have. We might need to just reminisce and laugh about our child one day. We might need to tell a story, we might need to cry, but that someone's willing to be present for any emotion that comes up.

SPEAKER_02 17:16

Yeah, it's not like it's something that slipped our mind and you just reminded me. Exactly. And like, oh, I didn't mean to make you cry. You didn't make me cry. That's grief, that's loss, that's what's inside me, and that's okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:32

Yeah, your presence actually let me cry. Yes. You gave me a gift for me not to be crying alone, which is what I normally do. But it was nice to have some company during a cry every once in a while.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

Yeah. You know, and we've said it before, if you're making that commitment or you're just checking in months later can mean so much more than just that immediacy after the loss. Because everyone's around.

SPEAKER_00 17:58

Do you even remember who was there immediately after Kristen's death? I I don't.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

I remember one person that was very key. And what's funny is she just texted me. So she was there at the beginning. And 19 years later, can still reach out.

SPEAKER_00 18:21

Checking in. Yeah. I remember key people, but if someone were to say, you know, I remember Zach's celebration of life, I couldn't say who was there. I couldn't, you know. But you're right, I do remember the people I leaned on.

SPEAKER_02 18:37

Um there's so much of it that's a blur and a fog, and and who was there and who wasn't there. No. But like I say, like this text I just got, I remember that person.

SPEAKER_00 18:56

Yeah. And she remembers you. She's not a not fearful of checking in.

SPEAKER_02 19:02

Not at all.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

It's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

It's just so funny that literally as we're speaking, her name pops up. Um so we talked about the things that we we gave you some phrases. Right? And now we're gonna kind of turn the table a little bit, you know, the the things that hurt even when you mean well.

SPEAKER_00 19:26

I don't think those painful comments that I've heard, you've heard, probably every grieving person has heard, come from a place of, you know, malicious place. I think they come from people's discomfort, our societal norm that if something's hard, let's fix it.

Words That Wound Despite Intentions

SPEAKER_00 19:45

I feel like when we're uncomfortable with something, we want to relieve that tension as quickly as possible, and that we really make as grievers, we make others uncomfortable sometimes because it reminds them of the frailty of life, especially when it's child boss.

SPEAKER_02 20:04

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

You know, it it truly is a worst nightmare. So it is pr protective almost for them to feel like, oh, I can't, I can't go there because you make it real, you make it a possibility.

SPEAKER_02 20:19

So here's some common phrases. So we talked about what to say, here's what not to say. And again, various versions of this have popped up on different episodes, but we're putting it in one spot for you. Here's the good one. And I know we've talked about this in dad's groups, we've talked, you've talked about it, I'm sure, and talked about all the time. Everything happens for a reason. When we're experiencing this level of deep grief, that to me comes across as dismissive and almost cruel, right? So everything happens for a reason. Really? What's the reason that is this something I did? Is this something Kristen did? Like, really? What's the reason? That's that can be the cruel part is you're telling me there was a reason she died, or you're kind of blowing it off. Well, everything happens for a reason.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:10

So please don't say that. And tell others that you talk to. Don't say that. Because for a bereaved parent, we're not looking for the reason of why our child died. We don't need to go on that search. We're doing our own, our own work. So we don't have to go start looking for that.

SPEAKER_00 21:29

Yeah. And to have that kind of forced upon you early in grief by others. You know, it may be something you're conflicted about internally, but it needs to be your own own journey and to to say, Oh, it's just there's a reason for everything. I just I had to stop hearing the song that I used to love. I think it's I think it I don't know who sang it, but there's a season. You know, I used to love that song a season to die, a season to sing, a season to dance, and then after My own loss and being with other people, I thought. And then sometimes things happen that are not in the right season. And I couldn't listen to that kind of, you know, sing-song-y, there's a season for everything. Don't ask questions, kind of thought. I was like, oh, that's too simple. I think another phrase that I know anytime I would do trainings for anyone that's a kind of professional in this field or support folks in this area of grieving folks would be the phrase at least.

SPEAKER_02 22:29

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:30

You know, and you can at least anything, you can at least that you have other children, that you're young enough to have other children, that they didn't suffer, that they lived a long life. At least I've never heard that followed by something that's helpful.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

Yes. You know, in my case, you know, at least you got 20 years. Well, guess what? I wanted 60.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 22:54

I wanted 70. I wanted until my body couldn't keep up anymore.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

She was planning your memorial, which is what's supposed to happen.

SPEAKER_02 23:02

Because if you say that, at least you got 20 years, right? If this if this is in a group, what about that parent whose child died at birth or the day after?

SPEAKER_01 23:12

Right.

SPEAKER_02 23:13

Now you're looking to flip that and do the, oh well, at least you can have other children.

SPEAKER_00 23:19

Right.

SPEAKER_02 23:20

I wanted that one.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

Yeah. There's not there's this avoid that will never be filled.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

At least it just erases the magnitude of the loss. It's dismissive.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

It is.

unknown 23:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

And then on the flip side of that sort of is, you know, you're so strong. Yeah. Well, I don't feel strong, and I don't want to be strong. I think every grieving parent has heard this, you know, this is this phrase, you know, this is a a club that I don't want to be a member of, and now I am forever. So it's kind of along that same thing. Like, I don't want to be strong. That's not helpful for me because all I'm trying to do is survive. And survival is not the same same thing as strength.

SPEAKER_00 24:04

And I think sometimes when people are deeply grieving, they view that as like a weakness. I'll have people say to me, Oh, I just stayed home and cried all day. I just had to stay under the covers. I couldn't face anyone. I just gotta get stronger, I gotta get better. And I often try to have them reframe that to think grief work is the strongest thing you can do. This is not weak to show how deeply you're sorrowful. So strength to the outside world looks like not the tears, not the expression, not the it's a mask.

SPEAKER_02 24:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

I've never had someone say to to a gri, you know, really intensely weeping person, oh, you're so strong. But they actually should. They should say to a deep weeping person, that is so strong for you to deeply grieve like that. That's how that should be changed. That's the strongest thing we can do is to let this grief happen and feel it deeply.

SPEAKER_02 25:02

Yeah, yeah. Feel your feels.

SPEAKER_00 25:04

Yeah, yeah. How about they would want you to be happy? How did that land with you?

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Yeah, we we talked about that in a previous episode. You know, in in your experience with that, as you know, with a toddler with these incredible adult thoughts of here's the emotion that I want this person to have. And in mine, it creates unintentional pressure that you've just put on me.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

Absolutely. You should now suppress my grief. Yeah. Because Kristen wouldn't want you to be sad. I think she probably would want you to be sad too.

SPEAKER_02 25:39

Well, I yeah, I think to a degree, it's like, you know, I'm not gonna just like, okay, great. Yeah, you're right. She would want me to be happy. Guess what? I'm happy. You know, and then she goes, Wait, what? Right. You're not sad that I'm not there. Right. So no.

SPEAKER_00 25:54

It's just not others to it's just not others to decide that.

SPEAKER_02 25:58

Right.

SPEAKER_00 25:59

We can think that, you know, like let me live a life. When we did our episode on joy, doesn't feel like betrayal. I think I did come to a point where it's like, it's a betrayal to not feel some joy at this point of my journey.

SPEAKER_01 26:11

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 26:12

This far out. Not for years and years, but I get to decide that. That's mine as the mom to decide w how I honor him and when I'm ready.

SPEAKER_02 26:24

Yeah. I mean, it's something that we've said again in a previous episode is you know, the decisions that I make now, I do that with Kristen in mind. So then this phrase sort of it happens to me now, but it's my it was my decision.

SPEAKER_00 26:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 26:41

When I was ready.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

Your timeline. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:44

So a phrase like that, they would want you to be happy. It really puts, and again, I know it, it's not said out of out of spite, it's not said out of anger, it's not said out of any of these negative emotions. It's said, we get it, you're wanting to help. It doesn't help because it can and often does unintentionally put pressure on that parent to suppress the grief.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

And we and we talked about another one. I can't imagine. Yeah. We covered that again. It's yeah, I skipped ahead and distancing yourself. Yeah. So that's a safe place for you.

SPEAKER_01 27:21

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 27:22

And it's dismissive to the parent because again, depending on where they are at the particular time, they go, Well, I think you should. Why don't you sit down and imagine this? And again, that alternative. I can't fully understand, but I care.

unknown 27:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:38

Care about you.

SPEAKER_00 27:39

That says so much, doesn't it? It's just a simple sentence, but it is really like a lot of things together. I don't understand. I'm humble. I'm curious about your journey, and I care about you. It really um says so much in such a simple way. I think rushing people to grieve in a timeline that feels comfortable to others, you know, you need closure. When do you think you'll be better? How will you heal? It was interesting to see the CBS correspondent Steve Hartman talk about that when he was doing all the empty rooms, that that was really his job to encourage listeners to believe that people could put closure. You know, they were specifically talking about school shooters, and and there was many things in the journalist world that would say, well, if that person is brought to justice,

Closure Myths And How To Apologize

SPEAKER_00 28:30

or if that person dies themselves, or if then the words were often, well, now those parents can put closure to this tragedy. And you and I have talked about how healing and closure are active processes. They're not an end result that we're gonna someday wake up and be like, closure, done.

SPEAKER_01 28:53

Right.

SPEAKER_00 28:54

The the this relationship continues until our last breath. And it should, because our love continues and thus our grief is going to continue. It's just part of it. And we we have come to terms with that. And so I think it's important to educate others that there is no closure. There shouldn't be a closure because we're not going to close the love that we will always have for our children, whether they're on this earth or not.

SPEAKER_02 29:18

You know, just to kind of sum up, you know, the don'ts. If you say that, because the a lot of these are just their response sayings because society's been conditioned. The best way to recover from saying something awkward, just apologize. Absolutely simple apology. Be so so sorry I said that.

SPEAKER_00 29:37

Even if it's the next day, the next week, you can reach out to someone and say, I've been reflecting on that. I've been really worried about how that landed for you. I really care that you don't hear that in a way that wasn't intended. It's not too late to years later to reach out and and say, I did something, I said something that I've thought about since.

SPEAKER_02 30:00

Yeah. If you said, you know, again, if you said something or or did something that then you realized was hurtful, didn't land as you intended. Again, you're I know your intentions were good. Stay present. Don't disappear.

unknown 30:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:15

It's easy to step away and walk away and go, uh, it's probably just better if I just fade away. No. Stay present. Don't disappear out of the embarrassment. No, it's not easy. It's not easy for you as a supporter. But guess what? I bet it's easier than being that parent that lost a child. So stay with them.

SPEAKER_00 30:39

I think along with that, I think sometimes people can feel like, well, I'm not close enough. I wasn't in their inner circle, so I don't have a space. I they kind of edit themselves out of believing that they have a space there. And if your instincts say that you have the capacity to bear witness and to sit and to companion and to listen, you're close enough. Because some of the people that are, quote, close enough disappeared. Just know that that's happened to every grieving parent. Someone that they really thought would come through for them disappears. So guess what? There's space. So I feel that give yourself permission to lean towards people if your instincts say, I have some capacity here.

SPEAKER_02 31:27

Yeah. We'll pause here for now. Thank you for joining us for part one of this conversation. If there is one thing we hope you carry from today, it's this. You do not need perfect words to support a grieving parent. You just need the courage to stay, to send the text, to say their child's name, to sit in the silence, to show up again next week and the week after that. Grieving parents aren't looking for someone to fix their pain. They are looking for people who are willing to remain present inside it.

Stay Present And Part Two Preview

SPEAKER_02 32:02

In part two, we continue this conversation and talk more deeply about that support and what it looks like long after the services are over, how grief changes over time, and how simple consistency can become one of the greatest acts of love you can offer. If this episode helped you better understand grief, please share it with someone else who may need it. And to the grieving parents listening, we see you, we remember your children, and we are grateful you are here with us. Until next time, be gentle with yourself, take care of each other, and please don't forget to breathe.