When tragedy, illness, or other unforseen event happens to a friend or family member, sometimes it is hard to know how or when to offer help. We love this honest and thoughtful guide from Jessy K. over on TodaysMama (this post originally published May 16, 2014, here)
In June 2012, our almost-three-year-old son was diagnosed with Leukemia. Finding out he had cancer was the hardest day of my life.
Many people ask me what they can do for a friend in a similar situation, for someone that needs emotional or physical support. Family is expected to help out (though honestly, they don’t always do so), but friends don’t hold the same obligation. I am beyond blessed to have the world’s most amazing group of women in my life that sincerely made a difficult and trying situation more manageable.
So, here are my tips for helping a friend or family member in crisis.
1) FOOD! As many new moms know having a home cooked meal or even take-out delivered to your doorstep is phenomenal. When dealing with an emotional rollercoaster the last thing you want to think about is what to eat or what to feed your family. Most people stop eating all together when in crisis. Not good! Having a meal train organized from a loving supporter is a blessing. Websites such as mealtrain.com and takethemameal.com make the planning process easy and let the recipients state any allergies or aversions they may have. Seriously, this small act of kindness goes a long way.
2) VISITS! While a grieving friend may want to hide in her plush duvet and skip her mascara, she will appreciate a short visit. Having a distraction from the pain can really help. Also, having someone to vent to or cry with can be a huge mood lifter. Sometimes it is easiest to talk to a friend rather than a spouse, as the spouse may be too emotional as well. Not sure what to say to your bestie? Just listen. You have two ears for a reason.
3) LITTLE GOODIES! On occasion a friend would bring me a little something special just for me. In my situation all my time, energy and thoughts went toward my little cancer warrior. To receive a gourmet cupcake, new lip gloss, or trashy magazine gave me a lift. It took a long time to do . . .
Read the rest of this post on TodaysMama.com
