Books for young children ?

[ny20005]

My friend split from her h last year & kids were used to seeing him roughly once a week. He's just stopped speaking to my friend & hasn't seen the kids for 2 months now.

5 year old is really tearful & clingy & wondered if anyone knew of any good books to explain to a small child in a way they can understand ?

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Your friend has my sympathies. My ex hasn't been in and out of our DS' life since I left 4 years ago. It's so horrible to watch. DS is now 7 and has some huge insecurities; often affecting his friendships. He needs to constantly be reminded that he is not at fault for his father's actions, it's not something he has done or a trait in his father that either of us can change. It's very hard.

My sympathies to your friend.

I bought 'Mum and Dad Glue' for my 3 year old - it's a short story about a little boy who goes shopping to try to find some glue to fix his broken up parents and a kindly shop-keeper explains what's happening and that things will still be fun even though his parents are separated now. It's quite a simple story and doesn't address all the questions and hurt feelings but it's a start.

I've found that lots of children's books about divorce seem to talk about the the child spending time with each parents, about how the child will now have two homes, two bedrooms etc, which is not that helpful when the dad has chosen to go AWOL like my ex and your friend's. We need more books about happy single-parent families. And sod the absent dad!

Thanks - I know , all the books I found seem to be about both parents still loving you & being in 2 houses. I suppose it's more like grief but just that he can't be bothered not that he died 😡

Nice book list here:

www.singleparents.org.uk/parenting/parenting-alone/books-for-younger-children-0-10-years