Grief and stress often go hand in hand. When you’ve lost a partner, the emotional weight can feel relentless – especially when you’re also navigating lone parenthood. The person who once shared the load, who listened at the end of a long day, is no longer there. And that absence can amplify stress in ways that are hard to put into words.
Reflecting on the theme ‘Be the Change’ for this Stress Awareness Month, members of the charity WAY Widowed and Young have been sharing the small, meaningful ways they’re learning how to cope as widowed parents.
You don’t have to do this alone
One of the biggest shifts when you’ve been widowed is losing your primary support system. Many WAY members describe how important it is to rebuild that sense of connection – whether through friends, family or others who truly understand – for example, through peer support networks like WAY.
Sometimes, ‘being the change’ starts with something as simple as reaching out. Sending a message. Saying, ‘I’m having a hard day’. Having someone who listens – without judgement or needing to fix anything – can ease the pressure in invaluable ways.
Get some fresh air, even for a moment
Time and again, WAY members come back to one simple suggestion: make sure you get some fresh air every day.
A short walk. Sitting quietly with a cup of tea in the garden or a park. Watching the seasons change. Even ten minutes outside can act as a reset button when everything feels overwhelming.
It doesn’t have to be a long hike or a run. Just stepping outside can gently shift your mood and give your mind some valuable breathing space.
Move your body
For some people, exercise becomes a lifeline after bereavement. Whether it’s the structure of going to the gym, the company of a walking group or gentle stretching at home, movement can help release built-up tension and create a sense of routine.
There’s no “right” way to do it. What matters is finding something that feels manageable – and maybe even comforting. For some, that routine becomes a quiet anchor in otherwise unpredictable days.
Let technology support you
In a world that can feel loud and overwhelming, many WAY members find that technology can offer moments of calm.
Audiobooks and podcasts can provide gentle distraction or companionship during the loneliest moments. Meditation and mindfulness apps like Calm or Headspace can help settle a racing mind – whether through breathing exercises, sleep stories or short calming sessions when anxiety spikes.
Although these tools won’t take grief away, they can create small pockets of calm and relief.
Keep it simple – and creative
When your mind feels full, using your hands can help.
Gardening, baking, knitting, drawing, writing, fixing something around the house – these small acts of creating can be so therapeutic, even if only for a few minutes. There’s something grounding about focusing on a simple task and seeing it through.
It doesn’t have to be perfect or productive. Just something that brings a moment of stillness.
Gentle self-care matters
Self-care can feel like an impossible luxury when you’re grieving and parenting at the same time. But many widowed parents find that it’s essential – and it can be simpler than it sounds.
Here are some suggestions from WAY members:
- Write down your worries before bed to help your mind rest
- Read something light to shift your thoughts
- Listen to music that matches your mood – whether that leads to tears or laughter
- Take a bath or a long shower
- Pause for a few mindful breaths
For some WAY members, it’s also about tuning into what your body is asking for. If you need a quiet moment or even a calm day, that’s not indulgence – it’s self care.
Even small, shared moments with children – like watching a ladybird or listening to a bird singing – can become gentle ways to pause together.
Change doesn’t have to be big
‘Be the Change’ can sound like a big ask when you’re already carrying so much. But it doesn’t mean transforming everything overnight.
It might simply mean:
- stepping outside for a few moments
- asking for help when you’d usually stay quiet
- choosing rest instead of pushing through
- taking five minutes to pause and breathe
“Grief doesn’t follow rules, and there’s no set timeline for navigating grief,” says WAY’s Communications Manager Vicky Anning. “But within the stress, the chaos and the relentlessness of daily life for widowed parents, these small acts can help to offer moments of calm. And sometimes, that’s enough to help you and your children get through the day.”
About WAY
The WAY Widowed and Young community offers a safe space to talk to other people (both with and without children) who understand how it feels to be widowed at a young age.
Find out how WAY can support you at www.widowedandyoung.org.uk
Going back to school following a bereavement: Tips from widowed parents
Our friends at the charity WAY Widowed and Young offer their advice on how they’ve navigated the back-to-school routine with their children following a bereavement.
Navigating Father’s Day as a widowed dad: Gary’s story
To mark Father’s Day, we hear from Gary – a Trustee of our full circle partners at the charity WAY Widowed and Young – about how he has coped as a widowed dad raising his young daughter, Hannah, after the death of his wife Angela.