Help Your High School Senior Cope With the Loss
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted theworld in unexpectedways. In an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, many schools across the country closed before spring break andwill remain closed through the end of the school year.While teachers and administrators work hard tomake sure studentsmaintain their academic progress through online education, cutting the school year short hasmeant that many high school seniors are being robbed of the traditions and rites of passage that comewith senior year. In the face of illness and growing unemployment, not being able to walk across a stage to collect a diploma can sound like a trivial matter to some adults. But if you’re the parent of a high school senior, it’s important to acknowledge what your student has lost. The graduation ceremony, prom, senior skip day, and even that last school lunch with friends are all wonderful life events that many students look forward to for years. Along with this loss, they are grappling with an uncertain future.
So howcan parents help their children copewith this grief? Start by asking themwhat they need. As a parent, you may feel the impulse to“fix”the situationwith a backyard family promor a graduation ceremony via Zoom, but now is not the time for surprises. Your child is working through loss, and everyone grieves in different ways. Bethany Raab, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in treating adolescents, advises parents to open the door for conversation but not to force the subject. “Don’t give too much advice just yet,”Raab recommends. “We really don’t know enough to give long-term advice at this point.” It’s also important for parents to recognize their own grief during this time. Many parents look forward to celebrating thesemilestones with their children, somissing these experiences can be traumatic for parents too. It’s okay to acknowledge your own loss and disappointment, but avoid projecting your feelings onto your child.
We cannot take back the experiences stolen by COVID-19, but as parents, we can be there for our kids and help them work through this uncertain time. And remember, no matter what happens, you can still mark the occasionwith a nice graduation present.
SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
For the past 30 years, the nonprofit organization United Ability has helped people with disabilities throughout Alabama in many significant ways. As their mission states, they provide support and connections that empower “individuals with disabilities to lead full, meaningful lives.”Because May 8 is United Ability Day, we are highlighting this amazing organization this month and want to encourage others to learn more about what United Ability does for the community. Each May, United Ability dedicates one day to promoting the services and benefits it offers the people of Alabama. Some programs give toddlers a chance to develop and grow while offering their parents tools to help them along the way. Other programs, like the United Ability Enterprises program, help adults with disabilities find employment throughout Birmingham by building their skill sets and confidence to work independently.
United Ability and its mission by sporting this T-shirt. Our team always has a lot of fun coming to work on United Ability Day wearing our matching T-shirts for an organization that goes a long way to help people with disabilities. We know how important the programs and services are that United Ability provides and the impact they have, which is why we are excited to take part in this event once more in 2020. If you happen to miss United Ability Day, there are plenty of other ways you can support this organization. Just head to their website to find out how!
This year, on Friday, May 8, we encourage the public to participate in this event. Participation is easy! Simply visit UnitedAbility.org and purchase a United Ability Day T-shirt. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. Then wear that shirt on May 8.
For the past few years, our team at HareWynn has joined the many other supporters who advocate for
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