Today Thomas has reached the age that Jessica was when she died. From tomorrow, my first-born child will become the youngest. The natural order of things will be turned on its head yet again, as it has been many times since the moment Jessica died. Another painful milestone on our grief journey. Another reminder of… Read More
Today is National Bereaved Parents’ Day – a day aimed at honouring bereaved parents from all walks of life, raising awareness and helping them realise they are not alone. National Bereaved Parents’ Day was started in 2020 by the charity, A Child of Mine, which helps support bereaved parents. The theme for this year is… Read More
When it comes to describing life as a bereaved parent and living with grief, there are two analogies I tend to use. The first is that of grief as a stormy sea. It is a sea that carries me further and further away from my life with Jessica, no matter how much I wish it… Read More
Darling Jessica, Today is your 12th birthday. Twelve years ago today you came into the world, bringing joy with you. I remember the moment you arrived so vividly; the elation at hearing your first cry and the tears of joy as I got to have that first, brief cuddle with you. The joy of… Read More
Today is National Bereaved Parents’ Day – a day aimed at honouring bereaved parents from all walks of life, raising awareness and helping them realise they are not alone. National Bereaved Parents’ Day was started in 2020 by the charity, A Child of Mine, which helps support bereaved parents. The theme for this year is… Read More
When I look at my life as a parent, it is very sharply divided into two. Life when Jessica was here with us, and life after losing Jessica. There is a huge chasm between the two lives that marks the moment Jessica died. A life before we knew the agonising pain of child loss, and… Read More
The other day, I was having a little bit of a battle with Sophie over her home learning. Just one of those ordinary everyday moments of family life. Not something that I would have expected to have been a big grief trigger. But then I remembered doing home schooling with Jessica after her surgery and… Read More