Helium balloons

[sleepraptor]

My children's dad died suddenly a couple of months ago. For Father's Day I would like to release a helium balloon each with them but really struggling to find anything suitable online. Has anyone else found something suitable?

@BritInAus you gave some lovely advice on my initial thread when he died and mentioned you had released a helium balloon but I suspect you're not in the UK. Hope you don't mind me tagging you just in case you are UK. Thanks.

Please consider an alternative like bubbles instead of the balloons, helium balloons cause damage to wildlife when they land.

It's a bad idea, in a few ways.

Please don’t do this. Environmentally they’re awful.

Sorry for your loss.

Please can posters remember that this is someone who is recently bereaved before you all start piling on about the balloon issue.

I can't help you OP, but I'm sorry for your loss

Sorry for your loss, but please look for an alternative to releasing balloons. They can cause damage to wildlife and littering when they fall.

@FionnulaTheCooler’s idea of bubbles is a lovely idea.

I'm very sorry for your loss but please reconsider the helium balloons. Bubbles are a good alternative, or writing a card?

Sorry for your loss but please don’t release balloons they are awful environmentally for the planet and wildlife. Forever picking them up when litter picking. Plant a flower, tree, release a butterfly.

Sorry for your loss. Have you thought about planting a tree?

I'm sorry for your loss but please don't release balloon litter. There are kinder ways to remember someone.

Sowing wild flowers or blowing bubbles is better.

Hi @sleepraptor I'm sorry, I'm not in the UK, so can't help with specifics. I hope you and your little ones are doing as ok as possible. It really is an up and down road on the way to finding your 'new normal'.

100% with @JocastaNu - to all the PP saying 'this is an awful thing - PS sorry for your loss' - really? Would you actually say that out loud to a mum at the school gates who is going through potentially the most awful time of her and her kids' lives - but you want to repeat each other almost 100% to lay on the guilt about balloons? Jesus.

Back to OP, not telling you what to do at all, but just an idea - for my child's other parent, we have discussed a couple of things to mark their birthday, we have planted a tree in the garden, and plan to tie balloons to that (potentially less awful for PP - balloons can at least be disposed of more carefully?) and we will 'bury' the parent's favourite chocolate near the tree root... and I'll buy my little one a small relevant gift (probably a sweet they and their parent love/d) to open on behalf of the parent by the tree. And we'll probably eat their favourite dinner for dinner. Just some ideas for marking the day for you, I hope the day will be whatever you all need it to be. xx

Thank you @BritInAus , I hope you're doing ok too. Your previous message really helped me and I have gone back to it since. Thanks for the ideas and I hope your child's other parent's birthday is as you both want it to be.

And thank you @JocastaNu

Apologies to the others I have upset with the balloon idea.

@sleepraptor

Your husband died suddenly and you end up apologising to internet randoms who just want to pile on regarding a remembrance idea !

It's a very sad time for you but please don't do helium balloons

There is one in a tree by me that is impossible to reach and will be there for ever now

There are lots of other lovely ways to remember someone

for your loss

Sorry for your loss. You haven't upset anyone with your balloon idea. I think the other posters just wanted to gently educate you on the environmental impact of the balloons.

I hope you find a wonderful way to remember their dad. I planted a rose Bush for my nanny (It's a rose with the same name as her)...it is in bud and I hope it flowers for her birthday later this month. My aunt and cousins have them too.... xxx

Its really difficult because they sell biodegradable latex balloons, but unfortunately they are a bit naff at actually degrading (can take years and don't degrade if they land in water etc) so often have plenty of time to be eaten, get tangled in things etc or harm be harmful before then.

An idea that really worked for me was placing flowers (mostly just the heads) in a fast flowing river and writing in sand on the shore line then watching the tide come in to sweep it out. Something similar off a cliff, bubbles etc that all provide that sense of movement that I think I wanted

balloonsblow.org/environmentally-friendly-alternatives/

Lots of ideas here. Lots aren't my cup of tea but it depends on what brings you comfort

Sorry for your loss. You don’t need to apologise to people and no one was upset. They just wanted to warn about the consequences of releasing balloons.

Don’t do it. Plant trees instead.

OP it is lovely that you are thinking of special ways to mark this. What about kite flying? Similar to balloons.

My friend lost her dad very young and Thier mum arranged to play his favourite sport on his birthday. 27 years later the adult children and now spouses and grandchildren play a game of cricket on his birthday each year and it is lovely. Could you do something related to their interests? Or a special memory? A sea swim, sports match, painting session?

I actually think the kite could work really well because it could be repeated each farthers day. You could tailor it to your religious beliefs and what you have told them about death etc. If it were me I would give each child time to hold the kite and 'talk' to their father, if they wanted. Then use the kite to 'send' the messages into the sky. Over the years they would be able to understand it was a symbolic gesture.

Could you not do something that has a positive effect instead? Such as planting a tree as a PP suggested? Or donating to a charity in his name? Or arranging to do some voluntary work for a cause he would have appreciated? Please don't release balloons.

@JonahofArk FFS

The tree idea is lovely and know someone who did this (apple tree in their back garden, now has a swing for the grandchildren). Very comforting as obviously changes with the seasons and blossoms beautifully in spring. I’m so sorry for your loss

Sorry for your loss OP My niece (that was like my daughter) passed away last year and we too wanted to do helium balloons on her first birthday away from us. Then googled alternatives and gone for floating rose petals down a stream. It is usually on a quiet spot so we play some of her favourite music. We now do this monthly. The kite sounds good too. When my garden is done later this year I hope to plant a tree and maybe have a garden bench for her.

Hi, what about planting something instead? I agree helium balloons released will just end up littered somewhere in the sea or something. When I lost my LO I planted a rose Bush in a planter pot as remembrance. That way you get to see it bloom every year. So sorry for your loss