Grief Journals for the Loss of a Parent: Which Edition to Choose

A guided grief journal written for the loss of a parent — with separate editions for a mother, a father, and for a parent in general.

The short answer. Still With Me is a guided remembrance journal with 80 written prompts across 9 chapters in 120 pages, sized 6 × 9 inches, available in hardcover or paperback at $29.99. For the loss of a parent there are three editions: Mother, Father, and a general Parent edition. Every copy is printed to order in the United States and ships within 3–5 business days.

Which parent loss edition to choose

Edition Choose it when
For the Loss of a Mother You lost your mother, or you are giving the journal to someone who did. The prompts say mother throughout — her voice, her advice, the things only she said.
For the Loss of a Father You lost your father. The prompts say father throughout — what he taught, what he never said out loud, the things you inherited from him.
For the Loss of a Parent You do not know which parent it was — typically when buying as a sympathy gift — or the person you are giving it to lost both. The wording stays with parent.

If you are buying for someone else and unsure, the Parent edition is the safe choice. If you know, the named edition is almost always the better gift: it is the difference between a journal about grief and a journal about their mother.

What is inside

The same nine chapters run through every edition, written to be worked through slowly rather than finished:

  • Who you were — their character, their habits, their voice
  • Our beginning — the earliest things you remember about them
  • Everyday moments — the small ordinary things that go first
  • What you taught me — what you carry from them now
  • The hard parts — the last months, the things left unsaid
  • What I miss — named plainly, without tidying it up
  • Letters to you — open pages for writing directly to them
  • Carrying you forward — rituals, dates, what stays
  • Still with me — where you are now

Every prompt is a question with room to answer, not a blank page. The full specification and a comparison with a blank notebook is on the guided journal vs blank notebook page.

Try the prompts before you buy anything

There is no need to buy a journal to start writing. We publish free prompt sets for this loss, with a printable PDF at no cost:

If you want the reasoning behind the practice first, read our gentle guide to grief journaling and what research says about writing through loss.

Giving it as a sympathy gift

A journal for someone who has just lost a parent is a gift that does not need to be responded to — unlike flowers, it can sit unopened until they are ready. Our sympathy gift guide covers what to write in the card, and the gift sets page pairs a journal with a memorial candle. Shipping is $6.49 within the US and Canada and $9.00 to the rest of the world.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best grief journal for the loss of a parent?

One written for that specific relationship rather than for grief in general — prompts that name a mother or a father reach memories that generic prompts do not. Still With Me publishes a separate mother edition, father edition and general parent edition, each with 80 prompts across 9 chapters.

Should I buy the mother edition or the general parent edition?

Buy the named edition if you know which parent died; the wording is specific throughout and reads as personal. Choose the general parent edition when you are giving it as a gift and do not know, or when the person lost both parents.

Is a guided journal better than a blank notebook after losing a parent?

For most people in early grief, yes — a blank page asks you to decide what to write on a day when deciding anything is hard, while a prompt gives you a starting sentence. A blank notebook is the better choice for people who already write regularly.

How long does it take to arrive?

Every copy is printed to order in the United States and ships within 3–5 business days. Shipping is $6.49 to the US and Canada and $9.00 to the rest of the world.

Is it available in hardcover?

Yes. Every edition comes in hardcover and paperback, both 6 × 9 inches with 120 pages, at $29.99.

Is journaling a substitute for grief support?

No. Writing can give grief somewhere to rest, but it is a personal practice, not a treatment. If your grief feels unbearable, please reach out to a doctor, a counselor or a grief support professional. Our help page lists places to turn. In the US, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be called or texted at any hour.

See all twenty editions on the shop editions page, or find the right one on who it is for.