To think that if you find a deflated helium balloon in the street with a RIP message on it..

[Palomb]

You don't pick it up and post all over Facebook that you've found it, including pictures of the balloon and the note because you apparently want the poor bereaved person who sent it skywards to to know it landed.

That's not the point is it?

Of all the people to get sanctimonious with about a tiny scrap of rubber, bereaved parents aren't it, no matter how much you enjoy the warm glow of presumed superiority.

500 friends? Are you a teenager or something?

MrsDeVere I said I posted that article because a pp asked about Chinese lanterns.

"Yeah let's harass a bereaved parent for having the temerity of making a tiny gesture to acknowledge their dead child."

As one of the bereaved parents on the thread, I don't think this is fair to the people who have raised concerns about balloon releases. Nobody has been harassed for releasing balloons, some people have given their feelings on why they don't agree with balloon releases, and they mostly did so before anyone on this thread had identified themselves as a bereaved parent.

I stopped releasing balloons after I saw a news story about a little girl who died after choking on one. I know why people release them - I used to do it myself and certainly can't condemn anyone who does - but I would really urge anyone who does to reconsider. When you release them you have no idea where they'll land. It could be a garden, a park, a playground, anywhere. I know the chances of anything bad happening are really, really tiny but still. I'm sure there was a thread a couple of months back where the OPs son had found one in the garden and tried to eat it? I know it's rare but I would really urge anyone thinking about it to consider an alternative method of remembering those no longer with us.

Can't believe what I'm reading here.

All the other shit that goes on in the world, and some of you are trying to take a nice, meaningful gesture from a bereaved parent and ruin it?! Make out that they're doing something wrong?!

Frankly I admire these parents for being able to get out of fucking bed in the morning, because it's sure as hell more than I could do. You carry on, Mrs D and others. Release a whole lorry load of balloons if you want to x

I found a balloon in my apple tree a couple of years ago and attached was a heart shaped label with pink drawing and pretty stickers saying "I love you mommy and miss you so much.....love X...." I was so upset and this thread reminded me of it. I took the balloon and it soon went down and I still have the label - couldn't bear the thought of throwing it away.

I know it's something that charities working with bereaved children do and I think it's a nice idea. Haven't read the whole thread but I gather people are talking about the problems of balloons and pollution? Surely not? I still think of that little girl quite often.

"All the other shit that goes on in the world, and some of you are trying to take a nice, meaningful gesture from a bereaved parent and ruin it?! Make out that they're doing something wrong?!"

That's not what people are doing, but we can't ignore the likely outcome of something just because it's done for the saddest of reasons.

This isn't a thread by a bereaved parent, and the first people to raise the issue of the harm a balloon can cause did so before any bereaved parents posted here. It might be different if a bereaved person, not just a parent but any bereaved person, started a thread about releasing a balloon, but I think people should be allowed to discuss their feelings on one like this.

I find that people on MN are, on the whole, very kind to those of us who have lost children, but I don't think that means they should keep opinions like this to themselves on threads like these.

I put it in my will, only edible, bio-degradeable and non polluting balloons will be launched.

If any of my neer-do-well family goes freelance and sets aloft a rubber death dealing machine. I will haunt them

I agree with Pluck. There are far better ways of remembering a deceased than littering the planet with non - biodegradable balloons.

Hygge I am sorry for your loss

But I disagree with you. I could argue the toss but instead I can only reiterate what dianatrent said above, because she put the point across far more succinctly and articulately than I ever could.

Whilst I agree that no one should be denied an opinion on a thread like this, I strongly feel that Mrs De Vere et al should not have to be on this thread defending a small gesture that gives her comfort, because some sanctimonious people suddenly have a bee in their bonnet. Human beings do massive, irreparable harm to the environment on an hourly basis across the globe - bereaved parents releasing a balloon once a year is really nothing to worked up about, imo.

Here is Defra and RSPCA's views. There are plenty of other environmental and wildlife organisations saying the same.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx%3FDocument%3D11133_AC0229-DefraWAGReportFinal.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiwlJTTxKXKAhUB1BoKHfKUD64QFggbMAA&usg=AFQjCNFb2EBD9gXbKbuKRX7u9ZPsEPQ9QA&sig2=Vag8-Q468gTQDrgfkE3D3Q" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx%3FDocument%3D11133_AC0229-DefraWAGReportFinal.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiwlJTTxKXKAhUB1BoKHfKUD64QFggbMAA&usg=AFQjCNFb2EBD9gXbKbuKRX7u9ZPsEPQ9QA&sig2=Vag8-Q468gTQDrgfkE3D3Q

I can't get the link to work but Google "Defra guidance on balloon pollution " will locate it.

It's not just one person though is it? It's however many other people who think remembering someone justifies releasing bits of plastic and rubbish into the air with no thought of where they will come down or the harm it does.

Oh for fucks sake Lass.

I'm staggered by the sheer cuntery on this thread.

That's for sure littleBearPad

Unless you live in a cave wearing animal skins you harvested off roadkill eating wild grain you haven't a leg to stand on.

Personally I think we should all drop one car journey a week* and let bereaved families let off a few balloons one day a year. we'll all get fitter, the environment remains stable, and bereaved families get a a tiny drop of comfort. win-win-win, eh?

*And if not prepared to make that tiny sacrifice, let's not demand others make a hugely more significant one.

trust MNers to reduce the amount of happiness in the world...

This thread is making me feel sad.
Thank goodness, fingers crossed, touches wood etc that this is not a thing that I have ever had to do and hope it stays that way.
I can completely understand why people do send balloons though.
It's a way of channelling your grief and feeling like you're sending a message to your loved one to receive.
I wouldn't want to know it had landed in some random street or wherever. I'd prefer to believe that it had been received by my loved one.
If it helps cope, and comfort, then that's a good thing.
Plenty of environmentally unfriendly things goes on, such as billions of cars on the road, or carrier bags/nappy bags/disposable nappies in landfill.
I couldn't get worked up over a few balloons.

I take it none of you have seen birds tangled up in balloon plastic? Or a bird with its beak wrapped in balloon string ?

What a lovely way to remember someone by causing the pointless death and suffering of another living creature.

ODFOD

I take it none of you have seen birds tangled up in balloon plastic? Or a bird with its beak wrapped in balloon string ? What a lovely way to remember someone by causing the pointless death and suffering of another living creature.

You've got no right to tell other people how they should be dealing with their grief.
If it brings them comfort in their dark days, feeling like they're communicating with lost ones, then that's a good thing.
I take it you're environmentally clean? Don't own a gas guzzling, polluting car? Have never used plastic carrier bags that clutter landfill and don't bio-degrade easily?
Have never used disposable nappies?
Don't use spray deodorants?

Do you drive a car Lass? Use tampons? Buy cans of drinks? Accept paper receipts at cash points? Buy foreign produce at the supermarket? Buy local produce at the supermarket? Wash your hair with commercial shampoo? Use detergent in your washing machine? Use your washing machine?

If you do, and if you care about the environment and wildlife, why don't you stop?

x posts with Kryptonite

My word. There are some cold hearted fucks on this thread aren't there...
I can't even formulate an adequate response to convey just how disgusting these people must be that they can't even see beyond the depths of their own moral superiority.

All the bereaved parents on this thread and best wishes (and helium balloons) to you.

If I found a balloon like that, I genuinely wouldn't know what to do with it -probably pick it up because it would seem disrespectful to leave it lying on the floor, then not be able to throw it in the bin as that would seem disrespectful too... DH would probably bin it while I wasn't looking to stop me keeping it along with all the other stuff I can't bring my self to throw away

I wouldn't post on FB about it, but I am prepared to think the best of the person who did and believe they did so with the best of intentions