When Toys Break Beyond Repair: Teaching Children to Handle Irreversible Loss
Last Wednesday, my 6-year-old’s beloved stuffed elephant, Mr. Peanuts, met an unfortunate end. The arm seam had been slowly coming apart for weeks, and despite our best efforts to mend it, the stuffing scattered across the living room like cotton snow. My daughter’s wails echoed through the house as she clutched the now-limbless elephant. In that moment, I realized we had stumbled upon a crucial Life-Ready experience: learning to handle irreversible loss in a safe, supportive environment. ...