Yaren, age 10, lost her mother at 6. She felt alone
in her grief — until she attended a camp
for kids who have lost someone important.
Yaren, age 10, lost her mother at 6.
She felt alone in her grief —
until she attended a camp for kids who
have lost someone important.
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By Renate Raman and Joren Slaets
Ms. Raman and Mr. Slaets are filmmakers.
Three years ago, we came across a short article about Missing You, a summer camp in Belgium where children struggling with grief can come together and bond with their peers. It struck us as an incredibly pure idea, and we wanted to know more. What does a grief camp look like? Is it a sullen, sad affair? Does it really help the children? And what do they do there?
In our research, which was funded by the Ket & Doc program for youth documentaries, we found that children who lose a parent or a sibling can feel profoundly alone in their loss. Suddenly, they’ve got no one to turn to, not even their friends. After all, who wants to talk about grief?
When we met Yaren, 10, the central figure in the short documentary above, she immediately stole our hearts. She showed us what grief really looked like — how it’s a part of her but it doesn’t define her. She told us how painful it was that some people started avoiding her after her mother died, just because they felt uncomfortable talking about it. And above all, she showed us how you can still be happy even while carrying a burden as heavy as hers.
We are honored to share Yaren’s story and those of so many other grieving children. We hope it can encourage everyone to be a little more open about grief.
Renate Raman and Joren Slaets are filmmakers based in Belgium. They are directors and writers for film, television and commercial projects.
The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here's our email: [email protected].
Op-Docs is a forum for short, opinionated documentaries by independent filmmakers. Learn more about Op-Docs and how to submit to the series. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.
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Home » Analysis & Comment » Opinion | At ‘Grief Camp,’ Kids Learn to Process Loss Together
Opinion | At ‘Grief Camp,’ Kids Learn to Process Loss Together
Yaren, age 10, lost her mother at 6. She felt alone
in her grief — until she attended a camp
for kids who have lost someone important.
Yaren, age 10, lost her mother at 6.
She felt alone in her grief —
until she attended a camp for kids who
have lost someone important.
Supported by
Send any friend a story
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.
By Renate Raman and Joren Slaets
Ms. Raman and Mr. Slaets are filmmakers.
Three years ago, we came across a short article about Missing You, a summer camp in Belgium where children struggling with grief can come together and bond with their peers. It struck us as an incredibly pure idea, and we wanted to know more. What does a grief camp look like? Is it a sullen, sad affair? Does it really help the children? And what do they do there?
In our research, which was funded by the Ket & Doc program for youth documentaries, we found that children who lose a parent or a sibling can feel profoundly alone in their loss. Suddenly, they’ve got no one to turn to, not even their friends. After all, who wants to talk about grief?
When we met Yaren, 10, the central figure in the short documentary above, she immediately stole our hearts. She showed us what grief really looked like — how it’s a part of her but it doesn’t define her. She told us how painful it was that some people started avoiding her after her mother died, just because they felt uncomfortable talking about it. And above all, she showed us how you can still be happy even while carrying a burden as heavy as hers.
We are honored to share Yaren’s story and those of so many other grieving children. We hope it can encourage everyone to be a little more open about grief.
Renate Raman and Joren Slaets are filmmakers based in Belgium. They are directors and writers for film, television and commercial projects.
The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here's our email: [email protected].
Op-Docs is a forum for short, opinionated documentaries by independent filmmakers. Learn more about Op-Docs and how to submit to the series. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.
Site Information Navigation
Source: Read Full Article