That call will probably never come. Think of what the family needs to have done and offer to do specific tasks. As time passes, remember the child by sending a card to the family or calling on special days. Many parents worst fear is that their child will be forgotten. One of the most important points friends should remember, adds Mrs. Loder, is that there is no set timetable for grieving.
Some people believe healing starts the moment the family arrives home from the funeral.
Bereaved parents and siblings are transformed into different people who will never be the same as they were. Grief doesn t end in a week or a year, and it may never end. But the pain does get softer in time with the help of friends who care. There are 12 Massachusetts TCF chapters including Attleboro, Concord, Gardner, Milford, North Reading, and Worcester, all surrounding the Newton area.