Hi moody,
I have found that grief kind of does its own thing and it's so unique for each person. With my mum it may be different to your situation because I had a traumatic history with my mum and there were many complicating issues, so it is something that still affects me sometimes even now, though I feel I've turned a corner with it. I've had to do a lot of emotional processing with my mum. But with my dad the process was much quicker because a lot of things had healed emotionally between my dad and me. I can't remember exactly, but I think things started to improve a bit after a few weeks and then quite a lot more after a few months.
For you, I can't say how long it will take because it's really personal and grief has its own timescale. I wouldn't worry about unexpected crying as it is a natural way your body releases the grief and it's normal. Some people experience crying and others don't cry at all, and there is absolutely no right or wrong. I know it may feel really heavy right now, but your dad has only just passed so it's very normal for the atmosphere to feel heavier at home.
I wonder if finding some distractions with things you enjoy may help lift you and at least help you manage how you are feeling at home? Are then any hobbies or interests at home whether it's computer games you like to play, favourite tv shows you like to watch, or anything else that might help you to feel better? Sometimes it can help the feeling of life going on and that it's not going to be a heavy feeling forever. With me I remember going for walks and that did help. I walked around the neighbourhood where I grew up after my dad died. He'd always had an interest in things like the weather and the night sky as well, so I paid attention to those things and it made me feel like his spirit was still with me, which was comforting.
Those are just some thoughts in case they are in any way helpful. If you ever want to chat to someone, there is a service called Griefline on 1300 845 745 and you can always get some ideas from them. They also have a website that may have some useful info. After my mum died I did go to a grief support group because things were very complicated with her and I had a lot of emotional processing to do. Different things work for different people so I think it's a case of trying to see what works for you.
But most importantly go easy on yourself and don't worry about trying to control the process. I have increasingly learned myself to allow emotions to just be there if they arise, and that allowing is usually what leads them to move through and release. Sometimes that happens in stages, like things have to move through a few times, but it gets progressively easier. It's like grief is a natural process, but it's ok to reach out too anytime you need to chat about it. We are here for you. Take good care.
