If you have had a recent death in your family, you’ve probably noticed that the children and teens in your family responded very differently to the death than the adults.

Children who are struggling to come to terms with the death of a beloved parent, grandparent or sibling or may show subtle clues that they are still grieving, such as sleep disturbances or regressive behaviors. They may even quietly wonder whether they are somehow responsible for the death of their loved one.

Physical symptoms and behavioral changes are normal for grieving youngsters, and may appear, disappear and reappear over a long period of time. Children and teens may not be as obvious in how they show their grief, but like adults, they feel their loss more acutely on special days.

To acknowledge these special feelings, Hospice Care Team plans its third annual Mother’s Day event for children grieving the loss of a mother or grandmother. For the first time, the event will be held on consecutive weekends at locations in Galveston and Brazoria Counties this year.

Mother’s Day Memories will be held at HCT’s Lake Jackson office at 107 West Way on Saturday, April 24^th, and at our Texas City office at 1708 Amburn on Saturday, May 1st, the weekend before Mother’s Day 2010. Special age-appropriate activities will be provided from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day, to help youngsters acknowledge and honor these special people on their special days, but in a different way this year.

Led by licensed counselors, the children will move from age-appropriate activities designed to promote remembering and sharing of memories to a fun-filled pizza lunch. Each child will take home memory items they have created, to place on their loved one’s grave or to keep. A special balloon release is planned for the finale, to help the grieving youngsters have closure from their loss.

Hospice Care Team is a non-profit, community based hospice serving Galveston and Brazoria Counties, Pasadena, Deer Park, Southeast Houston and surrounding areas since 1983. Our Mother’s Day Memories events are free of charge, but space is limited. For additional information or to register your child for the event, please contact Rebecca Deaton, LCSW, at (409) 938-0070, or (800) 545-8738.