Bereaved Father's Day will take place on June 24
The traditional father's day celebrations can be a very difficult time for dads who have lost a child. This year, for the first time, Bereaved Father's Day will take place on June 24th in the UK.
Coping with Father's Day
For most dads who have lost a child, father's day can fill them with painful memories and mixed emotions. Whether your loss is recent or occurred a long time ago, this day can be a difficult time to deal with. Don't let yourself become overwhelmed by your sentiments. Instead, discover how to turn them into positive actions.
What is Bereaved Father's Day?
Bereaved Father's Day hopes to offer a special day for dads who have lost a child. It will take place next Sunday, June 24th, one week after the traditional fathers day. It will give grieving fathers their own special occasion when they can celebrate their child's life. Additionally, it is a time when they can freely acknowledge their loss and openly grieve.
The idea began in 2010, and the international version of this special day takes place on August 26th. Paul Scully is promoting the first Bereaved Fathers Day in the UK. He is the founder of the support group Daddys With Angels.
Daddys With Angels
Daddys With Angels started as a facebook page which was originally designed to create a safe place where men could grieve. It has now evolved into a network of groups which offer peer support to all family members who have lost a child of any age. The group offers help to as many as 2,000 visitors each week. Whether the child was yet to be born or died at a mature age the death of a child is a unique loss that only a parent can understand. The groups give people the opportunity to share their feelings and emotions with others in a similar situation. They also offer many different support methods including Travelling Bears.
Ways to mark Bereaved Father's Day
Paul suggests visiting a special place and expressing your emotions or recollections of the departed child. To make a celebration of his life and to talk openly about the pain you feel. Some may like to set an extra place at the dinner table or to read or write a poem.
Make this a day when dad does not have to be "strong". Make it an opportunity for him to freely express his feelings without being judged.
