A guided grief journal written for the loss of a son — every prompt says son, from the first page to the last.
The short answer. Still With Me — For the Loss of a Son is a guided grief journal with 80 written prompts across 9 chapters in 120 pages, sized 6 × 9 inches. The paperback is $29.99 and the hardcover is $39.99. It is written only for the loss of a son, not adapted from a general grief journal, and every copy is printed to order in the United States and ships within 3–5 business days.
A note before anything else
Losing a son goes against the order things are supposed to happen in. It does not matter whether he was a baby, a boy or a grown man with children of his own, whether it was sudden or after a long illness — a parent is not meant to outlive their child, and nothing about the world looks the same afterwards. A journal will not make that smaller. It is somewhere to keep him: his laugh, the things he said, who he was and who he was becoming, before the details begin to blur. If today is unbearable, please look at our help page; in the US, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be called or texted at any hour.
Why a journal written for a son, not for grief in general
General grief journals ask about "your loved one". That works, but it keeps the page at a distance. A prompt that asks what your son used to call you, or what he was proud of, or the sound of him coming through the door, goes straight to a specific memory. That is the whole idea behind this edition: the same nine-chapter structure as every Still With Me journal, but written word for word around a son.
It fits if you:
- lost your son recently and want somewhere to put the thoughts that come at night;
- lost him years ago and are noticing that some memories are getting harder to reach;
- are carrying guilt, anger or questions that have nowhere else to go — the hard parts and letters chapters leave room for them;
- are buying for a friend, a sibling or a family member who has lost their son.
What is inside
Nine chapters, written to be worked through slowly rather than finished:
- Who you were — his character, his humor, his voice
- Our beginning — the day he arrived and the earliest years
- Everyday moments — the school runs, the meals, the messages, the small ordinary things that go first
- What you taught me — what he changed in you
- The hard parts — the last months or the last day, the things left unsaid
- What I miss — named plainly, without tidying it up
- Letters to you — open pages for writing directly to him
- Carrying you forward — his birthday, the anniversary, the rituals that stay
- Still with me — where he is now
Every prompt is a question with room to answer, not a blank page, and nothing has to be answered in order. For how a guided journal compares with a notebook, see guided journal vs blank notebook.
Paperback or hardcover
| Format | Price | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback | $29.99 | You want to write in it every day and carry it around; it lies flat and is light. |
| Hardcover | $39.99 | You want it to last as a keepsake, or you are giving it as a gift. |
Both are 6 × 9 inches with 120 pages and the same 80 prompts. See the Son edition.
Try the prompts before you buy anything
There is no need to buy a journal to start. We publish 25 free grief journal prompts for the loss of a child, 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 to someone who lost their son
Most sympathy gifts arrive in the first two weeks and then stop. A journal is one of the few that still makes sense in month three, on his birthday or at the first holidays without him — and it asks nothing back, no reply and no thank-you note. Our sympathy gift guide covers what to write in the card, and the gift sets page pairs the journal with a memorial candle. Shipping is $6.49 within the US and Canada and $9.00 to the rest of the world.
Not sure which edition fits, or want one that says child? The child loss journals page compares the Son, Daughter and general Child editions. For the loss of a daughter there is a separate page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best grief journal for the loss of a son?
One written for that relationship rather than for grief in general, because prompts that name a son reach memories that generic prompts do not. Still With Me — For the Loss of a Son has 80 prompts across 9 chapters in 120 pages, in paperback ($29.99) or hardcover ($39.99).
Is it too soon, or too late, to start a grief journal after losing my son?
Neither. Some people start in the first week, others years later when they notice memories fading. The prompts do not assume a stage of grief, and nothing has to be answered in order.
Is it a good gift for someone who just lost their son?
Yes, especially after the first weeks when other support falls away. It does not need to be responded to and can sit unopened until they are ready. The hardcover is the usual choice for a gift.
What if I feel guilt or anger about my son's death?
Many parents do, and the journal does not ask you to feel anything in particular. The hard parts and letters to you chapters are there for guilt, anger and questions without answers, and you can skip any prompt that does not fit.
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 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.