Safe Harbour is about a family—referred to as the ‘crew’ —who are navigating their ship through life when something ‘terrible happens’. One of their crew (the dad) dies by suicide. If it is not your child’s Dad who has died by suicide, you can still use Safe Harbour. Explain to your child that this book is about a Dad who has died, but you can adapt it to be about your loved one. You can change the names of the characters or read and discuss it in your own family context.
To help with personalising the book there is a ‘Remembering’ photo frame at the beginning of the book where you can place a picture of your loved one. You might find it helpful to personalise this page with your child before reading the book so they can think about their loved one throughout.
Safe Harbour is nautically themed. The ‘safe harbour’, the ‘ship’ and the ‘sea’ feature throughout.
The safe harbour: this represents a place of safety and stability that can protect people or ships from turbulent weather. You can use the image of a safe harbour to convey the idea that despite storms or tough times in life, we can be guided to much calmer places. These are safe places where our support systems are.
The ship: this could represent your own home environment or a support network. It reflects the idea of people coming together to cope and stay afloat during difficult times, which are characterised by scenes of stormy weather. The ship can change course when needed and remain steadfast when navigating towards the safety of calmer waters.
The sea: both rough and calm seas are featured throughout Safe Harbour. The rough sea is characterised by crashing waves, dark skies and unpredictable currents. It represents difficulties and obstacles that people often face in life. The calm sea is characterised by gentle waves and is a peaceful place. It symbolises how a person might find more stability and emotional balance. The contrast between the rough and calm seas highlights the ups and downs of life, reminding us that we will encounter both difficulties and moments of calm on a journey.