What Are Appropriate Gifts for Bereaved Parents?

It’s important to show your respect and condolences when someone has lost a loved one, but the question remains—what do you get them? Since everyone deals with death differently, there are no universal right or wrong gift ideas for bereaved parents, but there are plenty of thoughtful ones that you can use as you decide what to get them after the loss of their child. In this guide, we’ll take you through many different gift ideas for bereaved parents and considerations that will help you select the perfect gift.

Offer Financial Help

Not sure what to get someone who just lost a loved one, but still wants to show your sympathy and support? Consider sending a check or making a donation to charity in their name or toward funeral costs. Giving money shows them that you care without putting added stress on them after such a tragedy. Don’t let finances be an uncomfortable subject—if they accept your offer, it can make things easier for them during such a difficult time. If they don’t take you up on it right away, don’t push it—save it as an option for next time. But keep in mind that not everyone likes receiving monetary gifts; if they tell you they’d rather have something else then try to respect their wishes. Some would prefer a gift that includes something from their religion such as a Christus statue from Seagull Book or books on Catholicism and grief.

Choose A Memory Box

A memory box is a great way to give bereaved parents a place to keep all of their precious memories intact. Some people choose to create their own memory boxes, while others find them in stores or on Etsy. A memory box can help bring comfort to someone who has lost a loved one, and it also provides valuable information and keepsakes that can be passed down from generation to generation. It’s important to remember that bereavement affects each person differently. If you are creating a gift for someone you don’t know well, avoid sending flowers or food items because some bereaved people have negative associations with those items.

Offer A Kind Gesture

If money is tight for you, there are plenty of other options: offer to babysit so they can take time for themselves; run errands for them so they don’t have to deal with crowds of people; lend out your car so they have somewhere to go when they’re feeling overwhelmed. The important thing is that you’re showing empathy—without overwhelming them further with physical gifts. You can also invite friends over for a get-together, especially ones who have children about your child’s age. Children tend to look at death through a different lens than adults do, and it helps their parents process if they see others coping well in similar situations. Finally, try not to be offended if parents aren’t up for seeing you or accepting additional items from you just yet. Each family will process grief in their own way and on their own timeline, but know that it doesn’t make what happened any less real or traumatic.

The best gift you can give a grieving parent is yourself, showing up and being there for them. If you want to give something, think about getting them tickets to something they’ve always wanted to do or a treat of some kind: that’s your call. But if you’re at a loss for what to get parents who are grieving, don’t panic: buy them dinner! And be there for them in their time of need as much as possible.