Читать книгу Rafi’s Red Racing Car - Louise Moir - Страница 5

Introduction

This book helps to explain suicide and grief to children aged eight and under. Rafi’s Red Racing Car is the tale of a young child who has lost a parent to suicide and the grieving process that follows, though it could be used to help explain the suicide of any loved one. Since children of this age tend to be very visual, the illustrations tell the story and provide explanations of the emotions that the child will be likely to experience. The use of pictures and metaphors enables young children to identify with the emotions of a character rather than directly focusing on their own feelings, which may be too painful, intense or overwhelming to tolerate. Externalizing feelings in this way facilitates the understanding and processing of emotions that may otherwise remain internalized or ‘stuck’, or be acted out in challenging behaviours or neurotic symptoms. It is my hope that Rafi’s story will enable children to think about their emotions and process them in a ‘digestible’ way.

It is important that children form their own narrative about the suicide of their loved one. Rafi’s story provides a framework for children to piece together their own understanding of their loss and it may facilitate further discussions with the adults around them.

The ‘Helping Children Heal’ section at the end of the book offers guidance to parents and professionals who are helping children who have experienced a loss by suicide.