Hello friends! My name is Anna and I am the Digital Marketing Coordinator for GooseWaddle. I am writing this blog to share something near and dear to my heart.
We have a very special book that has recently joined the GooseWaddle line, The Forest of Whimsical Wonder. This children's book was written by our very own, Tina Weldon, who designs all of our beautiful products. Tina initially started this idea with our plush doll collection, where each doll has a unique and special back story. It was always a dream of hers to turn these dolls into a story for kids.
Tina is a mom of two, one adoptive son in his late twenties & a biological son, Bear who is 10 and has autism. Tina struggled in Bear's early elementary school years explaining to him that he had a different way of seeing the world than others. Bear had a harder time in school than most kids. He had difficulties making friends and trying to navigate the world around him. She longed for a book or something tangible that could help Bear and other children understand that our different ways of thinking are not a bad thing, but rather something to celebrate.
Tina’s book, The Forest of Whimsical Wonder, shares the tale of four friends who can’t see eye to eye. To keep the magic of the forest alive, they must find a way to work together, despite their differences. This story celebrates the differences in the way that people see the world, especially those with neurodiversities.
Not only has Tina poured her heart and soul into this book, but the love, effort and support she has given Bear to become the kid he is today, is truly inspiring. Bear is currently on the Science Olympiad Team at his school. He LOVES his pups and is a science mastermind. He wants to be an astrophysicist when he grows up.
We hope that this book brings acceptance and understanding to both neurodiverse and neurotypical children. We believe there is nothing more important than teaching your child to show kindness and love to others, no matter their differences.