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UAE: Death of friends, family impact children differently; how parents can help
In some schools, teachers have created space for children to express their feelings and support each other, as grief can be just as strong in classrooms as at home
- PUBLISHED: Thu 15 Jan 2026, 6:00 AM
For more than two years, Fatima S (name changed) worried about her daughter without fully understanding what was troubling her. Once cheerful and eager to go to school, the child had grown quiet and started avoiding classes. She asked questions that were hard to answer and something in her had changed.
It was only later that Fatima realised her daughter was grieving the loss of a close friend, a pain the child had carried silently since early primary school. “She never forgot her friend. Even as she grew older, the memories stayed with her,” said Fatima.
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Following a tragic road accident in the UAE that claimed the lives of four siblings recently, child psychologists said that many parents are being reminded that children process the news of death very differently from adults, sometimes over many years.
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Fatima, a mother of three, recalled how her daughter changed after losing a close friend soon after Covid-19 in 2021.
“My daughter and her friend were inseparable. They were in the same class from Grade 1. They travelled in the same school bus, sat together, ate lunch together and came home together every day,” said Fatima.
At the time, her daughter was in Grade 3. When the friend passed away, Fatima decided not to tell her the truth. “We thought we were protecting her. We told her that her friend had gone to her hometown and would not return.”
But the child sensed something was wrong. She became quiet. She did not feel like attending school and kept asking for her friend’s phone number, insisting a video call. “Every time she asked, my heart sank,” said Fatima.
When schools reopened after online classes, the girl learned the truth from others eight months later. “She was shattered. She cried and said she did not want to go to school anymore,” said Fatima.
Four years on, the child is now in Grade 7. She has grown older, but the loss has not faded. “She still prays for her friend. She still talks about the bus rides and lunches they shared. She has never forgotten.”
Another parent shared a different experience that is shaped by fear rather than silence.
“My son was a very active child,” said a parent living in Abu Hail. “During Covid, we lost his grandfather. He was very close to him. He was only six years old, we convinced him that old people die, and he took it well.”
A few months later, the family lost a young cousin who was undergoing treatment in India. “They were not very close. But when my son understood that even children can die, everything changed.”
The boy began asking difficult questions. “He kept asking how a child like him could die. For a long time, he stopped being active and spent more time alone,” said the parent.
The change lasted for nearly a few years years. The family was concerned and decided to change their surroundings. They moved from Dubai to Doha for a period, as the father has business in both places. “The change helped slowly. We returned to Dubai last year,” said the parent.
The child is doing better now, but the fear remains. “Even today, news about death affects him. Some fears stay fresh in a child’s mind for years,” said the parent
Silent grief in classrooms
Khaleej Times recently reported that teachers and school staff in the UAE are stepping in to help pupils cope when they lose classmates or friends. In some schools, teachers have created space for children to express their feelings and support each other, as grief can be just as strong in classrooms as at home.
The report highlighted that the recent loss of four young brothers in a car crash and another sudden death in a Sharjah school have reopened difficult conversations about how schools speak to children about death, absence and emotional pain, with many teachers focusing on compassion and patience to help students navigate their feelings.
Why children react differently
According to Dr Reena Thomas, clinical psychologist at Medeor Hospital in Dubai, such reactions are common and often misunderstood.
“Children respond to death based on their age, personality and understanding. Some cry while others go silent. Silence does not mean they are coping.”
Dr Thomas said parents should watch for changes in sleep, behaviour, eating habits, school interest and fears about losing loved ones. “Children often grieve in stages, sometimes over many years,” she said.
She advised parents to speak honestly but gently about death, maintain daily routines, and allow children to express emotions in their own way. “Reassurance and presence matters more than perfect answers,” added Dr Thomas.
As communities mourn tragedies such as the recent loss of four young siblings, doctors said that it is important to remember that children who hear about death may carry its impact quietly.
“Sometimes you only realise much later that your child stopped being themselves,” said Fatima.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.
