Whereas one in seven children in the United States will
experience the death of someone close to them by age 18, and 1.9 million
youngsters under age 18 have lost one or both parents;
Whereas children who have had a loved one die, especially
a close family member, can carry that loss within them forever, and it
sometimes causes confusion in the mind of a young person about why their loved
one was taken away;
Whereas the great majority of grieving children feel
alone, not understood, and fearful, on top of their feelings of grief, leading
in many cases to an inability to manage or even face their grief;
Whereas many adults and other children erroneously believe
that grieving children are resilient enough that they “just get over” their
grief, so much so that children have often been called “forgotten
mourners”;
Whereas for many grieving children the most helpful
reaction they can receive is an acknowledgment of their feelings, a listening
ear, and the support of caring individuals, like family, friends or others also
grieving a loss;
Whereas Children’s Grief Awareness Day began through
grassroots efforts in 2008 in order to help others understand the impact of
death on children and their need for support, and to provide ways for caring
adults and young people to show their support and solidarity for grieving
children;
Whereas Children’s Grief Awareness Day is observed every
year on the Thursday before Thanksgiving, immediately preceding the winter
holidays which can be a particularly difficult time for grieving
children;
Whereas simple ways to participate are to engage in
activities that raise the awareness of the needs of grieving children and to
encourage as many people as possible to wear blue on that day as a symbol of
support for these children;
Whereas this year, on November 15, 2012, thousands of
children and adults from all walks of life from across the United States will
join together to show their support for grieving children by participating in
Children’s Grief Awareness Day; and
Whereas the Thursday before Thanksgiving would be an
appropriate day to designate as Children’s Grief Awareness Day to help the
public understand the devastating impact of the death of a loved one on a
child, and of the child’s need for support: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of
Representatives—
(1)supports the designation of Children’s
Grief Awareness Day to raise awareness of and support for grieving
children;
(2)recognizes the
hard work that grieving children do every day in creating a new life out of the
pieces remaining of their old one;
(3)applauds the
thousands of individuals who volunteer to support grieving children;
(4)salutes the
efforts of national, state and local organizations for their work on behalf of
grieving children, and especially of the tireless efforts put forth by the
multitude of individuals who give of their time to help these children day
after day; and
(5)requests that the
President encourage the Federal Government, States, tribes and tribal
organizations, localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, other
entities, and the people of the United States to observe Children’s Grief
Awareness Day with appropriate programs and activities with the goal of not
forgetting these “forgotten mourners”, and supporting them in their time of
need.