Slurping Soup and Other Confusions

Book excerpt: Slurping Soup and other confusions: true stories and activities to help third culture kids during transition Slurping Soup And Other Confusions is a collection of twenty-three real life stories from third culture kids. Each story is followed by a related activity. The activities are suitable for three to twelve year olds and include brainstorming, problem solving, party planning, family tree, quirky word games etc. The book aims to help children cope with the challenges of living internationally. The stories explore: - Adapting to new environments -Who am I? Where do I belong? - Home and family adjustment - Cultural differences - Friendship change This charming book is a catalyst for crucial discussions every expat family needs to have. "Slurping Soup is a must-have resource for parents, teachers and children dealing with transition. This interactive tool will assist elementary-aged children in understanding and coping with the challenges and emotions that go along with international relocations." Tina Quick, author of The Global Nomad's Guide to University Transition, Founder, International Family Transitions, www.internationalfamilytransitions.com "As a parent of a mixed race child, it's rare to find a book that speaks to my family's experience the way Slurping Soup does." Michael Wester, Publisher, Beijing Kids Magazine "Slurping Soup gives parents the chance to find out what our kids are feeling or thinking when transitioning to a new country or back home. Children often don't know how to communicate these 'new' feelings. It was nothing short of a miracle when this book came into our life." Captain and Mrs George Vance, US Coast Guard and parents of 12, 9 and 5 year old, Beijing, China and Annapolis, Maryland "Slurping Soup is an invaluable resource for expatriate families. It contains colourful observations and stories that Third Culture Kids will find engaging and meaningful. I highly recommend it " Dr Cheryl Smith, Clinical Psychologist, Lyon, France and mother of two Third Culture Kids, aged 10 and 12 "Whether you are about to move to another country for the first time or have always lived overseas, Slurping Soup is a valuable resource that effectively addresses the challenges of living in a new culture. The authors have uniquely combined true stories and rich illustrations with practical activities to provide readers of all ages with a much-needed resource to proactively identify and address transition challenges. This outstanding book is a must read for all families living in an international context." Barry Dequanne, Head of School, American School of Brasilia "Relocating from China to Switzerland, Slurping Soup became THE book to discuss our family transition challenges. My 9-year-old daughter kept asking me to sit with her and go through some of the stories and activities and was reassured to see her challenges had been shared by other children." Jasmine Keel, Senior Learning & Development Consultant, mother of three Third Culture Kids aged 10, 8 and 1, Switzerland