Sunday Suitcases: Helping Little Hearts Cope With Change

A Gentle Children's Book About Separation, Divorce and Living Between Two Homes 

When parents separate, a child's world doesn't just change — it stretches.

Sunday Suitcases is a gentle, beautifully illustrated children's book created to support children aged 6–9 navigating parental separation, divorce and life between two homes.

Moving regularly between Mum's home and Dad's home can bring feelings that are difficult for a child to understand. They might miss one parent while enjoying time with the other, feel guilty for being happy, or wonder where they truly belong.

Sunday Suitcases gives children reassuring language to understand those feelings and shows them that they don't have to choose between the people, places or emotions they love.

Meet Noah

Eight-year-old Noah now lives between two worlds — his mum's city flat and his dad's quiet house.

His suitcase travels with him as he packs, unpacks and adjusts to the rhythm of moving between homes.

But Noah soon discovers that the hardest things to carry aren't inside his suitcase.

They're his feelings.

Through Noah's story, children learn that they can miss one parent while loving being with the other, and that happiness and sadness can exist at exactly the same time.

Helping Children Adjust to Two Homes

Sunday Suitcases gently explores:

• The emotional impact of parental separation and divorce

• Adjusting to living between two homes

• The "In-Between" feeling — when life feels stretched, different or uncertain

• Missing one parent while spending time with the other

• Feelings of guilt, confusion, sadness and divided loyalty

• Finding comfort and security through familiar routines

• Understanding that children don't have to choose between the people they love

• Maintaining connection with both homes and both parents

Includes Noah's Sunday Suitcase Toolkit

The book includes Noah's Sunday Suitcase Toolkit, a collection of simple, practical strategies designed to help children manage emotions and feel more secure when transitioning between homes.

Children are introduced to:

• The Both-True Map — understanding that two different feelings can both be true at the same time

• The Brave Breath — a simple calming technique for managing big emotions

• The Sunday Anchor — creating predictable routines that provide stability when moving between homes

• Understanding that it's okay to feel happy and sad at the same time

• Finding small things that create familiarity and belonging in both homes

• The reassurance that love isn't divided — it grows and stretches

Who Is This Book For?

Sunday Suitcases may be particularly helpful for:

• Children whose parents are separating or divorcing

• Children adjusting to shared care or living between two homes

• Parents and carers supporting children through family change

• Separated and co-parenting families

• Primary schools, teachers and pastoral teams

• School counsellors and child therapists

• Family support and wellbeing organisations

A Story About Belonging in Both Places

Sunday Suitcases offers children comfort, language and reassurance during a major change in family life.

It reminds children that they don't have to choose which home to miss, which parent to love or which feeling they're allowed to have.

Both homes can matter.

Both feelings can be true.

And love can travel with them wherever their suitcase goes.

Because even when life feels split in two, your heart is strong enough to hold it all.

Children's Separation & Divorce Book | Two Homes | Co-Parenting | Emotional Wellbeing