Grandparents live on and they continue to live in  our hearts. In a society so focused on material possessions,  there are few things that can enrich our lives more than the memories of their devotion, stories they have shared, and special moments with our grandparents.

Many of us have a favorite grandparent that we often remember. What’s more, their presence lives on in our family heritage every time we do something that was unique and special to them: bake a cake using their recipe or treat a sore throat with one of their homemade remedies.

We keep their memory alive by focusing on what really matters in a person’s life : the memory of those we loved and the people who matter most to us.

We would like to invite you to reflect on it with us today.

This is how we should say goodbye and let our grandparents live on in our hearts

One of the most complicated moments in life is when we have to say goodbye to a grandparent in  childhood. As adults, loss has a different meaning because we have so many resources at our disposal to deal with this painful fact.

What is the best way to help a child say goodbye to one of their grandparents? We will show you a number of steps you can take that will help.

When little ones are injured

Every child experiences the  pain  when they have to deal with the loss of someone who is important to them. It is something that cannot be forgotten, and although a child may seem to be fine, they will give subtle hints to some of the internal processes they are experiencing.

Pediatricians recommend being honest with the children and being careful with your choice of words. Do not use metaphors like “Grandpa is with the angels now,” or “Grandma is just sleeping.”

• Avoid using phrases that may confuse a child. Since this is their first experience with death, they should know what it means: no longer to see the one they loved but to learn to  remember them with love every day.
• Something else to keep in mind is the need for emotional release. Do not hide your grief to prevent your children from seeing that you are in pain, otherwise they may begin to see it as acceptable or prefer to keep their emotions inside.

Do not be afraid to let it come out and let children cry if they need to.

• We need to be able to recognize when a child is hurting. They will probably not be able to deal with what has happened until later. It can be seen in their drawings, silence and even nightmares.

• Another mistake that many parents make is preventing their children from being able to say goodbye to their grandparents or preventing them from attending the funeral. Whether we like it or not, saying goodbye to a grandparent who has passed away is part of a child’s grieving process.

Clearly, a child’s reaction to a grandparent’s depends on the child’s age. Still, we can assume that  after the age of 6 or 7, a child is susceptible to this harsh fact of life:  we all have to say goodbye to our grandparents in the end. But remember, our grandparents live on in our memories and minds. We will never forget them.

The legacy they leave behind

A grandparent can leave behind a house, an apple orchard or even beautiful silverware that is several hundred years old. But none of this means anything in the language of the heart.

Grandparents were once the parents who helped us become who we are today.  Granted, they may have made mistakes, but that does not mean it outweighs all the good they have done for us.

• The legacy a grandparent leaves behind is therefore doubled, and immensely powerful. They symbolize family roots and a common identity  that we cannot and must not forget.
• A child forever appreciates the moments they share with their grandparents. Since this relationship is different from that with their parents; it is warm and purely emotional.
• A tapestry woven with thousands of stories, afternoons when going home from school, they live on in our memories, such as in a cake with an unmistakable smell we still remember, and a voice we will never forget.

Saying goodbye to a grandparent who has done so much for us is never easy. Still  , growing up means confronting this parting.

Even though they have passed things on, they still live invisibly in our hearts and continue to care for us and to keep them alive through the precious gift we all share: the ability to remember. Our grandparents live on in the stories we share and the memories we have.

How do you make sure your grandparents live on?