Parents should try to spend at least a few minutes cuddling and talking with their children after the funeral. At this sad time, children will need to know that their parents care about them. The stress that grief causes often results in behavior changes in children. It is not unusual for grieving children to become angry and to strike out at adults and friends. Many children have difficulty expressing their feelings when someone close to them dies, and they often resort to this kind of behavior.
Many children become restless and overactive in response to grief.
Many children become clingy and over-dependent on the adults around them as a way to cope with their sadness and grief. It is not uncommon for grieving children to return to behaviors previously given up. For example, children who have mastered toilet training may begin to wet during the night again. Or, children who have given up thumb-sucking may pick up the habit again. Children's reactions to grief are often misinterpreted by their parents.