Connections

Each One is Vital

Physical – Virtual – Emotional – Spiritual – whatever form they come in, our connections are what make us who we are. Something as simple as saying goodbye at the kindergarten gate and something as profound as the loss of a beloved friend are both an influence on and a product of our connections.

Make Your Own

My book choice this week has been and appropriate lens for a wide variety of recent experiences; I’m sure if you’re familiar or if you pick up a copy of The Invisible String, by Patrice Karst, you’ll find it applicable to your life as well as the emotional development of your little ones. Karst’s story begins with the premise that two children are scared by the sounds of a storm and want to stay with their mother rather than going back to bed. Their mother explains the connection of the “invisible string” as a way to assure them that they are loved and cared for no matter where they are who might be with them. She explains that an invisible string connects the hearts of all the people we love and who love us, and that there is no limit to its length. The children question this assertion with challenges like whether it would reach to the bottom of the ocean, to outer space, or to those loved ones who have passed away. Mom assures them that the invisible string will reach in any scenario. This would make a great read for a child reluctant to go to school or daycare, someone missing a distant relative, or someone who has experienced a recent loss.

Appropriate for preschool, primary grades

Image courtesy b_d_solis, flickr