Today is not a holiday or the first day of school or even my birthday, but it’s a special day at my house. We even have it written on our calendar: “ATTIC DAY.”
Every fall, a little boy and his family head up to the attic to clean out things that have been put in storage throughout the year. This year, Attic Day is a painful occasion as the little boy’s father passed away months earlier. Together, the little boy and his mother and grandpa face the grief head on and uncover forgotten treasures while sharing stories and memories of their lost loved one.
Grief is a difficult emotion for children to process. Attic Day creates a space where kids and their family members can experience and work through their grief in a healthy and meaningful way. By reading this sentimental book, children should be able to better understand loss and manage feelings of sadness while fondly remembering their loved one who is now gone.
Pub date: June 27, 2023
Jean Havlina-Madsen has devoted her life to helping and educating others. After graduating with a BS in education, she worked with a coalition of alternative schools in Wisconsin for a decade. Jean eventually moved with her family to Minnesota where she attended nursing school. After years of working in pediatrics, she entered the hospice field and became involved in grief education and facilitating grief groups. Today, she resides in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she continues to work in a hospice residence.
