Parent Checklist: What Every Family Should Know About Suicide & Bullying

Because the storm will pass—and our children need to be here to see the sun again.

Know the Warning Signs

Talking about wanting to die or disappear
Withdrawal from friends, family, or favorite activities
Drastic changes in mood, sleep, or appetite
Not wanting to go to school or wanting to change routines
Giving away treasured items
Expressing hopelessness, shame, or feeling like a burden
Crying a lot, expressing fear or talking about being bullied
Increased aggression, anxiety, or risky behavior

Daily Connection Habits

We often ask generically, “How was your day?”
Ask real questions:

“What was hard today?”
“Did anything or anyone make you feel small?”
“How are you really feeling inside?”

Build a family ritual of “Feelings Check-ins”
Encourage open expression of ALL emotions—no shame

Digital Awareness

Know what apps your child is using and who they’re talking to
Review their apps and conversations on all platforms. If they resist that is even more reason to check.
Talk regularly about online bullying or exclusion
Ask: “Has anything online made you feel upset or scared lately?”
Reassure: “No matter what it is, we’ll face it together. Every storm runs out of rain.”

If You Suspect Suicidal Thoughts

Don’t panic. Be present. This is something that can be treated.
Say:
“Sometimes bad emotions are like really bad thunderstorms. Sometimes they are so strong and so bad we feel like they will never pass—but they do. They always do. You need to be here to see tomorrow.”
Don’t dismiss or downplay. Don’t argue or try to tell them how they feel.
Seek immediate help:
- Contact a therapist or counselor
- Call/text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or your local crisis line

Safe Space Actions

Identify 3 safe adults your child can talk to– write this down!
Create a “Help Me” code phrase they can use with you
Children need an outlet other than school. They need clubs, sports, or groups.
Post a note somewhere that says:
“Today will pass. The world needs you. You are loved.”

Find more resources here.

Note: Books are magical and help children in so many ways. “Every storm runs out of rain.” is one of Maya Angelou‘s sayings.

About Deedee Cummings

Deedee Cummings is a professional dreamer. She is also an author, therapist, attorney, and mom from Louisville, Kentucky. Cummings founded Make A Way Media in 2014 after struggling to find books with characters who looked like her own children and an extreme lack of stories that reflected their life experiences. Books published by Make A Way focus on hope, diversity, social justice, and therapeutic skills for children and adults. Her work has been featured in HuffPost, Forbes, NPR, USA Today, Essence Magazine, Psych Central, Well+Good, and The EveryGirl, among other media outlets. In 2021, she was appointed to the Kentucky Early Childhood Advisory Council by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and reappointed to a second term in 2025 acknowledging her decades long service to the children and families of Kentucky. Deedee is also the founder of The Louisville Book Festival. She was inspired to work to highlight and celebrate a culture of reading in her community after working as an in-home therapist and visiting homes of children who had no books. Cummings believes literacy is a fundamental human right. Her work highlights inspiring messages that remind us all it is never too late to begin again.