Let's Talk About It: Divorce (Mr. Rogers)
The painful realignment of the family unit that takes place when parents divorce inevitably fills children with worry, anger, doubt and a host of other feelings. Rogers offers compassionate support and validation for readers working through such trauma, supplying concrete examples of ways kids can deal with the stress.
Statements such as "[T]heir divorce is not your fault," and "[T]here's nothing you can do to make your mom and dad get married to each other again," typify the book's straightforward yet concerned tone.
Rogers wisely encourages adults to use his text as a jumping off point and tailor it to their own family's particular circumstances. Photos capture a variety of interactions, happy and sad, between the parents and children of three real families.
Why We Love This Gift: Because it's Mr. Rogers. Really, nothing more need be said. But let's just pause to wonder aloud: is there anything this man could not explain? A beautiful book.
What To Express In Your Card: I saw this and I thought it might be a useful tool in your house. I really love the tone of it. I wanted to give it to you, of course, rather than to [name of child] because I know you need to sift through what to say. I just thought this was a particularly sweet and reassuring way to address divorce. Because it will be alright. You will make it so. You got this.