Comfort a Grieving Parent by Sending a Sympathy Card

Many times we do not fully understanding the importance of sending a sympathy note until we have personally experienced the benefits of receiving condolence notes from friends and family following the death of a loved one.

Sending of sympathy cards links people together and reinforces a sense of community and solidarity in the wake of the calamity of death.

Charles Lippy
Sympathy Cards & the Grief Process

Send Condolences with a Sympathy Card
Sending a Sympathy card is a simple gesture of support that provide meaning to both senders and receivers. Sympathy Cards and Condolence Notes are a very popular way to express one's sympathies in the United States. Sending a Sympathy Card to a grieving parent can be very helpful in the healing process.

The death of a child, no matter what age, is always a difficult loss for parents to bear. The death of a baby is particularly difficult. For many parents the death of a child is the death of their hopes and dreams for the future.

An Example of A Sympathy Card for a Neonatal Death
People may not send Sympathy Cards because they don't know what to write. This example of a Sympathy Card is one that could be sent to acknowledge the sudden death of baby as a Miscarriage or later with a Stillbirth or Neonatal Death.

Dearest Laurie & Mark,

I was saddened to hear of the sudden loss of your baby.

I know you have been excitedly planning for his arrival. It must make things very difficult to say "Hello" and "Good-bye" on the same day.

I will be thinking about you both during this difficult time and sending my heartfelt sympathy.

I have seen you handle difficult challenges in the past and wish you the strength to make it through this challenging time.

You are both in my thoughts,

____________ (Your Signature)

When to Send a Sympathy Card
A Sympathy Cards is a way to quickly acknowledge a loss once you have heard about it. In these situations you can write a brief personal note on commercial condolence card or insert a brief hand-written note into a hand-crafted card.

Traditional etiquette standards recommended that you follow up the short note with a condolence letter later.

One Mother who experienced a miscarriage noted:

A card or note is a wonderful way of letting them know that you care and that you are thinking of them. It can be a great source of encouragement and support.

You can find out more about How to Write a Sympathy Card, How to Write a Condolence Note or How to Write a Condolence Letter in the articles that I have published on these topics on Squidoo.

More Information:
Dyer K. 2008. How to Write a Condolence Note. Squidoo.com
Dyer K. 2008. How to Write a Condolence Letter. Squidoo.com
Dyer K. 2008. How to Write a Sympathy Card. Squidoo.com

Lippy, Charles. "Sympathy Cards and the Grief Process." Journal of Popular Culture 17, no. 3 (1983):98–108.

Image Source: © Kirsti A. Dyer. Some Rights Reserved.