FREE AS A LADYBIRD

Conflicts are part of normal human life. Conflict happens everywhere, all the time, and in all families, apart from the absolutely perfect ones, and I’m not sure they exist, although I am open to contradiction.

My stories tend to be about the less than perfect families – in other words, most of us.

Stories for kids can be a fantastic way to examine conflict as well as being a wonderful way for parents and children to share an understanding of issues that cause sadness. Stories can provide a safe way to discuss a subject that is comfortable for both child and parent.

Conflict and differences can escalate in the most ‘normal’ families and unfortunately not all these differences are easy to resolve. Sadly, sometimes family members simply cut contact or even run away.

WHEN LOVE TURNS TO CONTROL

Frequently, fights escalate when one member of the family tries to control the behavior of another. Often the intentions behind the effort to control are good, the best even, but nevertheless, the person who feels they are being controlled can often rebel. As you will see in ‘Free As A Ladybird,’ this rebellion doesn’t just happen in the teenage years.

In ‘Free As A Ladybird,’ it is the Granny who rebels when her daughter tries to make her live a quiet life in a sheltered community. The story is observed and narrated by a young teenage girl.

Natasha loves her mother and her Granny but they are both as stubborn as each other and she is forced to watch as their differences escalate into a full-scale row. When Granny runs away, a loving family falls apart.

Despite all the drama and sadness there is still love in this family and where there is love, there is hope. Natasha hopes that there just might just be enough love to bring the family back together again.

‘Free As A Ladybird,‘ is a fun, heartwarming and realistic story for all the family that deals with family problems and dilemmas in warm and humorous way.

FREE AS A LADYBIRD

‘Free As A Ladybird‘ was first published in Ireland’s Own magazine and later broadcast on RTE Radio One. It was one of my favourite funny short stories for kids because it was inspired by a conversation I had with my own mother before she died. Our conversation stuck in my mind. I never forgot our talk and then one day it became this story:

FREE AS A LADYBIRD

Natasha’s Granny likes to have fun – with a spot of adventure on the side.  She wants to travel, join a band and be free to do whatever she wants.  But Natasha’s Mum has different ideas.  She thinks Granny should sit by the fire and talk about the good old days and maybe do some knitting if she’s bored.  Granny and Mum spend a lot of time arguing. Too much time – if you ask Natasha, not that anybody ever does.

One day, an argument turns into a row, a great, big, screaming, screeching row. Natasha’s Dad tries to stop them fighting by singing and playing guitar on the sweeping brush. He even tries to get them to join in a bit of Dad-Dancing but nobody feels like dancing.

Granny and Natasha’s Mum just carrying on fighting and doing what people in fights do – saying lots of terrible things that they don’t really mean. Everyone knows how hard it is to take back terrible things once they’re said and sadly this time doors were slammed as well.  Natasha thought things just couldn’t get worse and then Granny ran away.

FREE AS A LADYBIRD IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON KINDLE

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