“For me the book has been very helpful: not only does it explain when parents go on tour but also when they go away for courses and other training exercises. I thought it was very important to get involved as there didn’t seem to be anything for children and specifically young children whose Mums are serving. Everything always seems to be about Daddys. The welfare side was important to me as it provides a good way to explain deployment and separation to kids and takes some of the pressure of parents on how to explain the departure.” Sgt Bex Coates RLC – The Mummy in the book.

“These books are definitely the way ahead – a picture in a book can paint a thousand words, rather than trying to explain it, a child will always understand a picture rather than words. They have really had a positive effect: if you speak to most of the soldiers especially with children between the ages of 2 and 5 where they don’t really understand that Mummy/Daddy has gone, the book has definitely been a great welfare plus. Within the regiment we were all given the book on the recent deployment - all my family have seen it and they think it’s a really good idea.” WO2 Kim Cupper, Royal Signals