9 Things To Do When You Don't Know What To Do

A Gift for Mom! 🤍

Six years ago, my family received devastating news: our 5-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. Our world was officially turned upside down.

Well-meaning family, friends, and strangers alike turned out in droves with words of support, prayers, and offers to help. We are so fortunate to live in a society in which people help during crisis. However, many times it ends up being a bunch of people standing around because they don’t know what to do.

People say things like, My thoughts and prayers are with you. While that is nice to know, as my husband so bluntly pointed out, talk is cheap. They also say, Let me know if you need anything.

Many times, the person facing the crisis has no idea what they need. And if they are anything like me, they won’t ask anyway.

Honestly, I’ve been guilty of saying both of these, even since my son’s death. People we care about face so many hardships in their lives – from death, divorce, and illness to job loss, family trauma, and more. Many people feel simply helpless in the face of a crisis. Go ahead and offer your support, prayers, and love, but here are nine other practical things you can do to help a family facing a crisis.

1. Provide necessities.

Drop off some groceries, especially items that get used every day. You can never have enough bread, cereal, milk, laundry soap, toilet paper, and Kleenex.

2. Make a meal.

Bring a freezer-ready meal or all the fixings for a meal when they need it.

3. Coordinate with friends.

There are many meal sites like Meal Train and Take them a Meal which allow you to coordinate with members of a community or church to help a family. Check with your local grocery store to see if they will deliver a meal – many do.

4. Help with chores.

Mow the lawn, trim the hedges, clean a bathroom, vacuum, or fold some laundry. These are the last things that get done when a family is in crisis. You can even combine these with a much-needed visit.

5. Care for the kids.

If the family has children, offer to take them to the park, a movie, or out for ice cream. Offer to babysit for free if the parents need to go to an appointment or just need some time away. This is a treat for the children, too, who will be feeling the stress of the situation.

6. Offer to organize.

Paperwork and appointments can get overwhelming. Assist with combining all of these into one easy place. Help set up a grocery delivery, dry cleaning, house cleaning, or lawn service. Help them to get bills on autopay. Give them a system they don’t need to worry about.

7. Send a gift card.

Gift cards provide a handy and easy way to get a cup of coffee or a sandwich when it’s needed most – usually between appointments.

8. Be there to listen.

Or not. This is probably one of the hardest things to do. Sometimes we want to talk, cry, and work things out and need someone to just listen. Sometimes we’re tired of talking, but we don’t want to be alone. Be there for whatever they need.

9. Take no offense.

Never stop showing that you care. Corresponding on social media, sending a card or a text, or making a phone call to say you’re thinking of someone is always appreciated. Just don’t be upset if you don’t hear back. Know that they saw and appreciated your kind words. Send them again another day. You never know if that will be the day they need them the most.

Lastly, remember this one thing: anything you do out of genuine caring and kindness is never wrong. Doing something is always better than doing nothing.

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Kathy Glow

Kathy Glow is a wife and mom to four teenage boys and one beautiful angel in Heaven, lost to cancer. Most days you can find her under a pile of laundry ordering take-out. She writes about what life is REALLY like after all your dreams come true. Her writing has been featured on sites such as Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Good Housekeeping, and Mamalode; but Her View From Home is her favorite place to be. Her blog is at www.lifewiththefrog.com. You can follow her on Facebook at Kissing the Frog.

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9 Things To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do

Many times, the person facing the crisis has no idea what they need. And if they are anything like me, they won’t ask anyway.

1. Provide necessities.

2. Make a meal.

3. Coordinate with friends.

4. Help with chores.

5. Care for the kids.

6. Offer to organize.

7. Send a gift card.

8. Be there to listen.

9. Take no offense.

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A GRANDMA

Kathy Glow

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So God Made a Mother

9 Things To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do

Many times, the person facing the crisis has no idea what they need. And if they are anything like me, they won’t ask anyway.

1. Provide necessities.

2. Make a meal.

3. Coordinate with friends.

4. Help with chores.

5. Care for the kids.

6. Offer to organize.

7. Send a gift card.

8. Be there to listen.

9. Take no offense.

If you liked this, you'll love our book, SO GOD MADE A GRANDMA

Farewell My Father: Walking the Trail of Beauty in Old Age

Sometimes Healing Doesn’t Look Like Moving On

Now that You’re Gone, I Sit In This Waiting Room Alone

She Was the Glue That Held Our Family Together

My Parents Will Never See This Face

The Due Date that Never Comes

Repotting Myself: What My One‑Armed Grandpa Taught Me About Growing Anyway

When I Look In the Mirror, I See My Mother

I Lost My Daughter on Mother’s Day: 3 Truths I’m Believing Today

I Miss Having Parents

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