The Bereavement Team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center provides the Mourner’s Bill Of Rights.

For Parents and Adult Family Members

  • I have the right to be sad and to cry without worrying what others think.
  • I have the right to choose whom I will talk to about my grief. It is not my fault if the feelings of others are hurt because of my choice.
  • I have the right to make decisions for myself. My grief doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be involved.
  • I have the right to mourn the loss in my own way, even if it is different from others.
  • I have the right to be angry because my loved one has died. My anger is part of the grieving process.
  • I have the right to get outside help for myself. Sometimes I need to talk with someone who is not involved with my grief.
  • I have the right to take care of myself and to find ways that help me cope with my grief.
  • I have the right to enjoy my life without feeling guilty.

For Children and Teens

  • I have the right to be sad and to cry, even if other people think I shouldn’t.
  • I have the right to be told what is going on in words that I can understand.
  • I have the right to make some decisions for myself. Just because I’m a child or teenager who is grieving doesn’t mean that I can’t be involved with some of the decisions that affect me or our family.
  • I have a right to be angry because of the death of my loved one. My anger is part of my grief.
  • I have the right to ask for help even if it means talking to other family members, teachers, friends or other adults who can help me. Sometimes I need to talk with someone who is not as involved with my grief.
  • I have the right to be a child or teenager. I need to live my life, to laugh, to play and to be with my friends without feeling guilty.