ABSTRACT
82A loss that is “so huge, so hopeless to conceive” is one that confronts children of parents with AIDS. These children are in the difficult situation of walking a tightrope—on the one hand, continuing the routine of daily life, while on the other, harboring an awareness that within several months or years their parents could die. The shame and stigma that still surround AIDS, as well as other factors to be discussed below, further impinge on the bereavement process of these children.
