Balloon company won’t sell me a balloon to release

[Gonewiththegin]

Just as the title suggests. I regularly use the same balloon company and had asked them to do a memorial balloon. They replied they do not sell balloons to be released. AIBU to think they have no say what I do with said balloon once I’ve paid £30 to have it made.

@Gonewiththegin

Not a goading post at all, I genuinely had no idea why they refused 😳 I shamefully hadn’t thought about it thoroughly. Thanks for enlightening me.

Any ideas of anything else we could do? It was for my little one to send up to heaven for their relative and they will be terribly disappointed due to my ignorance.

Well done OP for acknowledging your own ignorance.

Can I recommend the following books for you to read with you DD to educate both of you. Marl's tangled tale is about a balloon release.

www.amazon.co.uk/s?ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_10&sprefix=ellie+jack&k=ellie+jackson&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@bloodywhitecat If only I could edit the title to say I now know AIBU!

Really nice to see an op not get defensive when told otherwise and ask for ideas.
I love the bubble idea and planting something lovely.
Sorry for your loss

[quote Gonewiththegin]@bloodywhitecat If only I could edit the title to say I now know AIBU![/quote]
Lovely thread OP and pleased it has been informative for you. I came on to say YABVU but having filtered your posts I can see you have hastily backtracked

I do hope your special event with your little one goes well

I've reread that and 'hope your event goes well' sounds terribly tactless to the fact it's in remembrance of a relative. Apologies and hope it's special and you can remember your relative with joy when sending the bubbles to heaven

Mumsnet is horrific at times.

A poster comes on who is obviously grieving and gets piled on for being unaware of the issues around balloons.

There are much kinder ways of pointing out the issues with this plan. Some of the responses here are simply uncalled for. Shame on you.

I'm sorry for your loss OP. What about planting a tree that will grow to reach up to heaven?

When are you hoping to do something by?

@Gonewiththegin - you can ask @MNHQ to edit it for you or even take it down.

@ChunkySloth

Omg hun! R u ok? Let of a lanturn instead babe.

🙄

Good on that company.

Awful way to talk to someone who has experienced loss.

@Ednafrommooneyponds

I hope you don't ever need an MRI scan. Such a waste of finite helium.

Totally agree ‘yes we once had machines that could find cancer but you know..balloons’

Good for them.

There are much kinder ways of pointing out the issues with this plan. Some of the responses here are simply uncalled for. Shame on you.

Absolutely. Can I recommend a book for those people?

www.amazon.co.uk/How-Better-Person-Difference-Yourself/dp/1507205260/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=how+to+be+a+nicer+person&sprefix=how+to+be+a+nicer&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1627558070&sr=8-1

@VariantL1130 I appreciate why people are so riled up. I do think grief affects us all differently and for me I selfishly only thought it would be a lovely thing for my little one to do to take away their pain. Nothing else crossed my mind. I know now and will explain why that isn’t a good idea to my DC. Really grateful for the bubbles idea as they will really like that.

A tree is another lovely idea, we are moving in the next few weeks and a tree at the bottom of the garden would be lovely with a little plaque.

@Biancadelrioisback this weekend, so bubbles is ideal and then when we are settled in our new home we will plant something that will forever remember our loved one.

Hi OP

We're so sorry for your loss.

On occasion, people don't read the full thread. We can see you're in agreement wrt balloon releases now - would you like us to close your thread, so that no more responses can be added?

@LilyMumsnet yes please, I was just about to get in touch! Thank you

@Gonewiththegin I’ve asked MNHQ to edit title for you.

I’m sorry for your loss and hope you will find just the right meaningful gesture for you and your little one to send your love to them.

I had an ex (who was a narcissistic abuser I could right entire thread about) who worked for the environment agency/ had a masters degree in environmental science. At his brothers wedding he organised a Chinese lantern release.

At least op is capable of owning her mistakes and educating herself!!

@LilyMumsnet could the thread be left up with title amended?

Seems it could be a good learning thread for others, and helpful with all the suggestions of other memorial gestures.

Planting something is always good, that way you can visit whenever you’re feeling sad and missing them.

Benches are another good one.

Have a look at the seed paper. Your little one can do a drawing and you plant it. The seeds will come back year after year and you can keep adding to that area.

If you believe Robins are our loved ones visiting us, do some things to encourage robins into the garden. Put a bird feeder up. Again this is something that you can add to over time. Or you can do the same with butterflies. Plan some pollinator flowers which will attract bees and butterflies and tell them that every time they see a butterfly it’s their relative.

Go to their favourite place.

Make their favourite cake if they had one (you could also write a message on the cake in icing).

Send a letter.

Light a candle.

I'm glad you understand now OP. Sorry for your loss. I hope dome of the lovely ideas on here help you.

[quote Ninkanink]@LilyMumsnet could the thread be left up with title amended?

Seems it could be a good learning thread for others, and helpful with all the suggestions of other memorial gestures.[/quote]
We're not deleting it - just closing to new posts. The thread will still be visible.

You could raise some native butterflies to release.

Good there are many other ways to remember somebody.

Personally I would find it extremely disrespectful for someone to litter in my memory which is what this is, littering.

@LilyMumsnet that makes sense! 🌻