20 Children, Teens and Suicide Loss How can my child talk about the suicide death with other children or adults at school? Give your child the option of how, when, where, and with whom they want to share information about the loss. Regardless of whether they choose to share at school or aren’t ready to do so, help them formulate answers and practice what words to say. My dad killed himself. My mom ended her life. My brother took his life. Daddy lost his battle with depression. My sister died last week, that is all I want to say right now. I really don’t want to talk about it. What special academic needs might my child have after the suicide death? Grief takes up a lot of space in our minds, making it difficult to concentrate. Here are some strategies that can help children in school after a loss: • Arrange for some flexibility with their school workload • Have a friend help them with assignments • Create a safety plan for hard days that might include visiting the school counselor or, for young children, being allowed to call you from school, just sitting quietly with a book, or coloring for a while; with teens, decide together what they should do if they have a hard day, and how you (or someone else) will respond in that case What if other children avoid or tease my child? If your child is isolated or being teased, talk with teachers, school administrators, and parents, and encourage them to address the underlying worries and misinformation the other children are experiencing, and start a conversation to increase understanding and empathy.