Re: This one will bring a tear to your eye!

[Guest guest]

Lesley wrote

> This is very touching, Sue, and poignant for me, after a tragic event in

our

> village this weekend. The much loved classroom assistant at our 35 pupil

> school collapsed and died yesterday at the age of 47. I can't begin to

> think how the two teachers are going to explain it to the children.

>

Last year when DS1 was in Reception a mother of one of their class

mates died, very suddenly, aged 29, leaving behind 2 sons

and one very devoted husband.

It happened just before the end of term - in fact the funeral, to which her

two boys

then aged 5 & 3 went, was on the last day of term.

The school explained to the whole school, (98 pupils) what had

happened, and the children all seem to have accepted it. Although

mine two do keep referring back to it. She was a very good

friend of mine and I do miss her, she loved children and managed

to have a couple of nurses of Isaac before she died.

I think children can be more resilient than we think.

Trisha

Trainee BFC

Mother to Jack 6, 4 and Isaac 11 months

[Guest guest]

DS1 is in reception just now. Theschool has just succeeded in

persuading my DH to become a parent governor (does he know what he's in

for??) and I'm on termly meetings of the Home-School liaison group. At

the last liaison meeting, the head teacher presented us with her

proposed scheme of bereavement guidelines for the school. Those parents

who know of a forthcoming bereavement are to be encouraged to warn the

school in advance so family and school can work together to prepare the

affected children. The guidelines also covers the aftermath of

unexpected bereavements, of course.

The aim is to formulate an individual bereavement plan for the affected

child, but also to ensure that the curriculum includes opportunities to

discuss the cycle of life and death. The head has appointed herself as

link person who will co-ordinate, and she will be the contact between

family, child & school, attending funerals etc as required. I just

wonder if she reaslises the full emotional impact of the role she

proposes to undertake. Time will tell.

Lesley Moor

trainee bfc, mslc rep, newsletter ed

Gravesend

wrote:

> Last year when DS1 was in Reception a mother of one of their class

> mates died, very suddenly, aged 29, leaving behind 2 sons

> and one very devoted husband.

> It happened just before the end of term - in fact the funeral, to which her

> two boys

> then aged 5 & 3 went, was on the last day of term.

> The school explained to the whole school, (98 pupils) what had

> happened, and the children all seem to have accepted it. Although

> mine two do keep referring back to it. She was a very good

> friend of mine and I do miss her, she loved children and managed

> to have a couple of nurses of Isaac before she died.

> I think children can be more resilient than we think.