Episode 61: Walking Through Grief with Adult Children

<p>One of the quieter challenges of grief is learning how to walk through it as a family — especially when everyone is grieving the same loss differently.</p><p>In this episode of The NEXT Podcast, Jay Cookingham shares honestly about helping his seven adult children grieve the loss of their mother while continuing to navigate his own grief as a widower.</p><p>How do you support your children without pushing them?</p><p>How do you make room for different grief styles, timelines, and emotions?</p><p>And what does it look like to stay present for one another when no one really knows what to say?</p><p>Jay reflects on:</p><p>• Why “gentle modeling” often helps more than advice</p><p>• The sacred value of stories, memories, and family history</p><p>• Learning to listen without trying to fix grief</p><p>• Giving both yourself and your children grace</p><p>Through Scripture, personal reflection, and practical wisdom, this episode reminds us that grief is not something families “solve” together — it’s something we learn to carry together with compassion, patience, and God’s help.</p><p>“Sometimes the most loving thing we can do is stop trying to hurry each other through grief and simply stay present with one another inside it.”</p><p>If you are grieving alongside your children — whether they are young or grown — this conversation will encourage you to lead with presence instead of pressure.</p><p>Find out more about me here: www.jaycookingham.com</p><p>I’m on @buymeacoffee. If you like, even maybe love my podcast, you can buy me a coffee and support me. It’s a simple way of showing your support and helping me grow the podcast. Thank you!</p><p>Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/jcdude56t</p><p>Music by Paul Grimsland</p>