Volunteer Facilitator for “3-5s” since 2019
I discovered Erin’s House from another volunteer facilitator, Brittainy, who shared with me about her experiences volunteering. They touched my heart, and she suggested I contact Erin’s House to get more information.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered in my volunteer role is getting young children to share. The younger a child is, the harder it is for them to express what they are feeling. If the death occurred when they were even younger, they may not even remember their person who died, but they are aware of the family dynamics the death has brought on, and this has an impact on them.
Young children can sense and pick up cues from those around them, so be honest with the child about their loved one’s death and even the circumstances of the death (age appropriately, of course).
Grief doesn’t look the same for everyone. The grief process is not one-size-fits-all. Children grieve differently than adults. I love that Erin’s House provides children a safe place where they can discuss the death of their person with peers. Also, as volunteer facilitators, we receive great training and support from the staff of Erin’s House.
3️⃣ Three words to describe myself: Faithful, dependable, caring
💜 Favorite Healing Heart activity: The best Healing Heart activities for 3-5s are any that involve M&Ms or gummy bears as they help to get the kids talking!
☕ Go-to coffee order: My favorite coffee is seasonal – Pumpkin Spice Latte! During the fall, I can’t get enough of them!