Soon by Timothy Knapman and Patrick Benson is a beautiful story that highlights the importance of parenting and how we can build our children’s trust and confidence if we lead by example, care for them and show them what confidence is. ⠀

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Raju the elephant and his mummy go on an adventure through rivers, forests and mountains but Raju always wants to know when he is going home. ⠀

“When can we go home again?” 

“Soon”

It is only when he returns home that he can reflect and see how important that journey was and how much fun he had. His mother not only looked after him when there were dangers but also showed him the world around him so that he may want to be a part of it himself. ⠀

Soon warms your heart with the mother’s love for her son and her want to show him the world. ⠀

The story is easy to read and easy to listen to. Your child can follow the repetitive nature of the questioning by Raju and the approach the mother takes with each difficulty they come across.

How does this link to parenting? 

We can’t wrap our children in paper bags so

• allow them to see the world
• protect them from dangers but let them know what is out there so they become caring global citizens.
• read to your children so they become aware of global issues in a nicer way as opposed to finding out on the news.
• inspire them
• lead by example. Do what you want the world to be. Use less plastic, respect animals and love the outdoors. We need more people in this world who care about the future for everyone – not just the now.

Sustainability and conservation 

• Elephants need our protecting due to deforestation and hunting. Check where your products come from to ensure they do not support this!
• Elephants have been used by humans for many different activities. Create a timeline to show the relationship -both negative and positive – between humans and elephants.
• Do conservation groups really help elephants? Investigate different conservation groups and how they use their money.

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BUY NOW