Lily Hates Goodbyes: All Military Edition

A young military child must say goodbye to her deployed Daddy for what feels like a billion days, and has to find ways to feel connected to him and cope with her scary swirl of feelings until he comes home.

For the military kid who counts down days on a calendar and aches for a parent who's far away, Lily's story puts words to a wait that can feel too big to hold.

• Big idea: Missing someone doesn't mean you can't still feel connected to them, and hard feelings get easier to carry when you have ways to hold onto hope.
• Vibes: tender, reassuring, honest about hard feelings but landing on hope

• are experiencing a parent's deployment or long absence
• are working on naming and coping with big, scary feelings
• respond well to a sticker calendar or countdown routine
• need reassurance about a happy reunion at the end of a long wait

• Feelings & empathy: How do you think Lily felt when she had to say goodbye to her Daddy?
• Story & coping: What are some of the ways Lily found to feel connected to her Daddy while he was away?
• Real-life connection: What helps you feel close to someone you miss?
• Imagination: What would you put in a memory box for someone you love who was far away?
• Looking ahead: How do you think Lily felt when her Daddy finally came home?