Can I share the saddest thing ever?

[MyGhastIsFlabbered]

The boys grandma died this week. Before she died I told the boys she was dying and DS2 (aged 8) made her this card. It breaks my heart every time I think of it.

The grandma that died is my ex-MIL and we never got on but this destroys me and I can't stop crying.

I still have the letters my DD wrote to my dad before he died, I can’t read them, 3 years on, but I’m pleased I kept them

That's such a sweet thing for him to have done. It's a good thing to practise, being able to write out our feelings is healing. I'm sorry for your loss.

I’ve got something in my eye

What a sweetie! Did your MIL and him get on, even if you didn't?
The bit about "it happens to all of us" sounds like something he's heard an adult say, so I wouldn't let it upset you too much. He might have struggled to know what to write on the card and asked an adult for help.

It's all part of the grieving process, though, totally normal. You yourself might be crying over the fact that you didn't get on and wish that you could have?

Oh bless his little heart. Big hugs to your boys and to you - watching your child go through something is like going through it yourself isn’t it. Just because you didn’t get on with their grandma your heart must still be breaking for your little ones

@CurlyhairedAssassin yes the boys loved her and whilst we didn't get on, she absolutely adored them (they were her only grandchildren and were her sun, moon and stars)

Oh, little poppet. We struggle so much to find the right things to say about death and bereavement, and somehow the DCs just come out and say it.

I think you’re raising that boy exactly right, if that’s any consolation. What a lovely mixture of acceptance and love.

Your wee boy is just precious Kids are amazingly resilient and stronger than we would believe but of course it's important for them to know that feelings matter and they can express them.

That’s beautiful!

I just want to check you know his full name is on it?

Don't know why I read the title, and expected not to cry.

Wish I'd not clicked on this thread while I'm sat in a room full of people.

Fwiw though I think it's excellent this child has the wherewithal and strength to write their feelings down on paper and with such understanding. Such a healthy coping strategy.

What a lovely note to write to her.
Girl, you are mumming this right.

Keep it, I still have the little notes I wrote at a similar age when my grandad died and although I don't look at them very often, the odd times I go through my memory box and find them again they're strangely comforting as a link back in time to him, but not in a sad way if that makes sense.

That is so beautiful.
My DD wrote a similar note to my Dad when he was very ill, and a lot of her school friends signed it, and wrote little good wishes of their own.
We put it in his coffin with him when the time came

Apologies - as a PP pointed out, his name was on the original photo

Bless him

Oh what a wonderful little boy you have raised.

@MyGhastIsFlabbered
You're clearly an amazing mummy I'd be so so proud of your boy
That little message is beautiful, it's brought a lump to my throat xx

That's lovely. So sorry for your loss

❤️

No wonder it makes you cry. What a lovely letter for a child to write.

What brought tears to my eyes after my DM died, was a lovely letter she’d written to us all, to be opened after she was gone. She’d had dementia for a long time when she died (the letter was written while she was still compos mentis) so we’d effectively lost her long before she was gone.
It was like having our old DM back.
I’ve made a mental note to do similar for dds, 🤞and 🙏 that they won’t have ‘lost’ me to the dreaded dementia, though.

When mum died one of my sisters GD drew a picture to put in the coffin with mum, because she "Grandnan to have something nice to look at on the way to the stars".

Sorry missed out "wanted" between she and Grandnan there.