Coping when a friend moves away is hard. This book is designed to help ‘the stayers’ (those left behind) manage this big change. Perfect for children aged 7–12, it’s jam-packed full of activities that invite the reader to use their creativity by annotating and illustrating the pages. This makes the book unique to each child, helping them feel a greater sense of agency and control at a time of change.
The text acknowledges change is stressful and the child is encouraged to think about their own responses to change and build their coping repertoire. The concept of TRUST is introduced, an acronym for five key things to ‘stay well’. The reader explores what each letter stands for and considers how paying attention to these can help make their process smoother. The book concludes with activities that bring together the child’s journey through the pages, helping to solidify their learning and engagement with the text.
Best introduced around eight weeks before the friend leaves, this is a must-have resource to help children ‘stay well’. Grounded in wellbeing and transition research, this activity book contains much wisdom for adults too.