What sort of things could I say for comfort?

Question

My friends son is 9 and he's sadly lost his dad recently. He has shown NO emotions what so ever and his mum is genuinely concerned. I'm very close to him and he's good with talking to me.
How do I approach him on this subject? As I'm the one he opens up to I was thinking playing Xbox with him and gently asking how he is feeling about things. I don't want to push it too much but I do want to see how he is feeling. 
I mean we're talking about a 9 year old here. I've been personally asked if I could spend some time with him and maybe see how he is feeling. Again, what sort of things could I do or say? I just want him to know I'm here and so is everyone around him and he can talk to any of us!

Answer

Honestly, I'm a teacher and one of my 9 year old students lost her dad this year and she had basically the same reaction. Playing and talking is probably the best way to approach it but he just might need time to process things. It took my student about 6 months to process things and be able to talk about things.

Answer

I lost my mom last September. She was a major part of my life and the lives of my children. She was with them almost daily since birth, because she watched them while my husband and I were working. My oldest daughter, she’s 5, reached much like this. She never shed a tear, never asked questions, never spoke about it. She would calmly state that my mom is dead and that’s it. It was hard for me because I knew she was hurting but she wouldn’t show it. Even now, she doesn’t talk about it. But throughout this time I would just remind her that I’m here if she wants to talk and if she has anything to say to Mama, she can just say it in her bed at night & Mama will hear her. She’s told me that she has talked to her at night & it helps. My other daughter, who is 4, has had the opposite reaction. She was a mess afterwards and to this day she goes through times where she just cries and says she wants Mama. She’s even asked me that if we found the right medicine, could we bring Mama back. Loss is hard and everyone experiences it differently. Just make sure he knows you’re here always and let him come to you when he’s ready.

Answer

Take him to do something that you know he and his dad did. Maybe that will stir something up. Just see if a conversation comes from it. I would hang out with him a a time or two before bringing it up so he feels more relaxed.

What sort of things could I say for comfort?

Let's Glow!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey