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When the unthinkable occurs to a friend or loved one, it can be difficult to know how to best express your sympathy. The death of children is especially difficult to deal with for all involved. When a parent loses a child, whether young or adult, it can be tough to know what flowers to choose, especially if dealing with the shock of an unexpected death. Here is our simple guide on the best flowers to send in sympathy of the death of a child, by age:
- Death of a Baby – The death of a baby is a particularly tragic event, whether expected or unexpected. Because babies are considered to be pure of soul, the symbolism would be white. Consider a simple bouquet of white lilies, roses or calla lilies for a beautiful touch.
- Death of a Toddler or Young Child – By the time a toddler or young child dies, chances are good that you will have gotten a better feel for his or her personality and likes. In general, brightly colored flowers in pastels or primary colors are considered the best option for sympathy flowers for children. If you knew that the child liked a specific type of doll or stuffed animal, you might include a miniature version within the bouquet to personalize it. Some good options are gerber daisies, cornflowers, dahlias, carnations, chrysanthemums and roses.
- Death of a Teen – Much like the death of an adult, the flowers that you choose can depend largely on the personality of the deceased and manner of death. If the death was due to illness, for example, you may choose to send flowers along with a donation to an applicable charity. In general, consider sending a bouquet that reflects who the deceased was in life. Did they have a larger-than-life personality? Consider large and vibrant blooms such as sunflowers or large calla lilies. Did they love sports? You might choose flowers in the color of their favorite sports team. Choosing flowers that reflect who they were in life is a great way to pay your respects to them.
- Death of an Adult Child – There are a lot of options when choosing flowers for the death of an adult child. Again, you can’t go wrong by picking flowers that are symbolic of who the deceased was in life. If the adult lost their life while serving in the military you might look at bouquets with vibrant red, white and blue colors, to represent the country they died protecting. Of course if you happen to know the favorite flower of the deceased, this is an excellent choice as a way to honor them. If the deceased adult also had children of their own, the children might appreciate a mini-bouquet that matches the one you bought their parent so that they have an extra keepsake.
Once you have settled upon the perfect bouquet, it is time to write the sympathy card. What do you say to someone who has just lost their child? The main thing to keep in mind is that, not only is the parent often in shock at the death of their child, they tend to fear that their child will be forgotten, so try to avoid using past tense when writing the sympathy card. Keeping the conversation in the present-tense, “Brittany’s laugh always makes me smile,” or, “Kevin has the biggest personality” is a way to help the newly grieving parent know that their child is not going to be forgotten now that they are gone. If you are truly at a loss for words, a simple, “I’m here for you whenever you need me” is more than sufficient. Picking flowers for parents who have lost their child is never emotionally easy, but with this guide we can help remove some of the guess-work and enable you to focus on supporting the parents.
