Each of us has dealt with loss of one kind or another multiple times throughout our lives. Whether it is the loss of a family member, friend, pet, or even moving, we have all experienced it. It can be difficult, absolutely painful, and as parents we do everything we can to protect our children from this pain. However, we can’t completely avoid it. Loss and grief are going to be experienced though, so teaching our children to talk about it and a good way to deal with their complicated emotions is really important.
I received product to facilitate this post.
Teach Your Children to Deal with Loss
My Yellow Balloon is a great story that will be sure to be a classic. It easily opens the discussion on how to deal with loss and how to let go. The story, written by Tiffany Papageorge, tells the tale of a boy and his yellow balloon that goes everywhere with him. He sees it as his best friend and one day when it is lost he begins to feel that he will never be as happy as he once was with his yellow balloon. He goes through the pain of loss and the world around him seems dark and dull, one day the pain isn’t so bad and he is able to see the beauty of the world around him again.
The illustrations, by Erwin Madrid, a former DreamWorks Animation artist, perfectly shows the emotion that the boy in My Yellow Balloon. When the balloon floats away, the artwork turns to black and white, as a symbol of how harsh the emotions of loss and grief can be. As the story continues and the boy moves through each stage of grief, the color comes back until it is bright and beautiful again.
My 4 and 5 year old daughters absolutely love this book! They have each felt loss in one way or another whether it is losing a toy or the loss of friends after moving. While these types of loss may seem trivial, being able to have a way of letting them know that their feelings are valid and normal is important. They still may miss their friends, or that special toy, but being able to look back at the good memories they had together is important.
My favorite quote from the book is so poignant and hits home with exactly how loss is felt after time. “I still miss you, yellow balloon,” Joey said. “But, whenever I see the sun, big and bright, I’ll feel you with me. Wherever I am, wherever I go, you are a part of me and I am a part of you. We’re a part of each other forever and ever.”
This book is appropriate for any age, even as an adult, I found myself empathizing with the main character, Joey. This book is a great way to open the discussion on how to prepare your child for the feeling of loss. Even if your little one hasn’t experience it yet, it is sadly inevitable, so being open and talking honestly about the pain of grief is important to prepare them for the day they may have these feelings.
Even if you may not feel ready to discuss this with your child, this book is written beautifully and will become a favorite in your home. It is a great story for children of any age. You can purchase your own copy of My Yellow Balloon at Barnes & Noble, Books A Million or on Amazon. You can purchase a copy of this book in hardback, as well as in e-book format.
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This was not a paid post. All opinions and views are my own. Thank you Minoan Moon Publishing for providing the book to facilitate this review.
