Normalizing Divorce

Fred Stays with Me ( 2007) by Nancy Coffelt and illustrated by Tricia Tusa is a delightful, simple story about a little girl and her dog. She sometimes stays with her mom and sometimes with her dad, but she always has her dog with her. Neither mom or dad necessarily want a trouble making dog at their house, but they find a way to make it work. While I enjoyed this book, I wondered if children of divorce would and I think they would. It helps children understand that they are not alone in living in two houses and hopefully most of them have a constant with them. While it may not be a real live dog, it could be a favorite blanket or a stuffed animal. There is no judging, no feeling bad about the situation, this is just a funny, comforting story about a what has become a normal lifestyle. Divorced children will be able to feel good as they hear a story about another child living in a similar situation.