Child Loss

Megaphone shouting "Four More Years!"

Kids Who Die – and Their Families – Deserved a Second Term

By

A longer, healthier, carefree life is something most of us take for granted, but one that many parents can’t fathom.

Is There Sex After Death?

By

Burying your two children shrivels your dick up like a motherf*cker, but my wife and I found our way back to each other.

The Undeniable Magic of Being Truly Noticed

By

I was shattered near the end of my young son's life. An extension of true compassion was an act of grace like no other.

Settling Into the Unknown

By

A year after the death of my son and stepmom, I found new understanding while selecting a memorial tree.

How the Modern Loss Holiday Gift Swap Sparked a Powerful Friendship

By and

We were complete strangers who disentangled our lonely and complex feelings about grief together.

Surviving the Agony of Anticipation

By

As I see the world sink into the abyss amid the coronavirus pandemic, I recall the first days after my daughter Talia’s terminal diagnosis.

You ‘Can’t Imagine’? Well, Neither Can I.

By

People say a lot of useless shit to grieving people. Here's how to do better.

Laundry, Before and After

By

I used to resent the endless sorting, washing and folding. Then my daughter got sick — and everything changed.

Seeing My Daughter in Other People

By

After she died, I was captivated by those who looked like her.

Masks - Modern Loss

Grief Bacon: The Masks I Wear

By

My child's cancer diagnosis abruptly halted reflection on my own post-cancer body and soul. But after he died, it came roaring back.

Traveling the World With My Daughter’s Ashes in Tow

By and

In Ireland, alongside an empathic stranger, I watched Rachel's cremains scatter with the wind. 

Screening Calls for My Dead Son

By

‘Sorry, he’s not here.’ You have no idea how sorry I am Eric’s not here.

Built for Two, But Minus One

By and

Grief is one of the deep intimacies of our marriage. Our tandem riding reflects that.

6 Tips for Talking to Kids About Death

By

We can’t gloss over the topic without denying a fundamental part of our lives and our family. Here’s how we navigate the conversation.  

My Grief is F*cking Funny

By

Why I never pass up a chance to laugh my ass off. Especially when I'm grieving.

The Ugliest Side of Grief

By and

Jealousy is already a tough emotion to grapple with. Pairing it with a stillbirth brings out a whole new monster.

Writing With Heart From Behind Bars

By

I teach memoir writing at a prison. One week, the topic was loss. My students really went there — and so did I.

After a Teenager’s Death, Metaphors Fail

By

My friend's 16-year-old daughter was hit by a car and I struggled to write about it. Because no words can truly encapsulate the zero of grief.

What This Mother Told Her Dying Son

By

Her words were perfect.

Sewing - Modern Loss

The Sewing Blogs Were My Salvation

By

After my baby died, I didn’t know what to do with my hands. But then I found the sewing blogs.

1 2 3