The Swedish P&I Club has published Our Family and the Sea, a picture book that helps children understand the challenges of having a parent who works as a seafarer.
The story follows siblings Angelo and Mutya, whose father is away at sea for long periods. Angelo struggles with his father’s absence, while Mutya dreams of a whale taking her to visit her father. With support from their mother, grandparents, and friends, the children learn to cope with their emotions and understand their father’s work.
Produced by The Swedish Club and Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS), the book is aimed at children under 10 and is available online for seafarers and their families to read together, regardless of location. This is part of the Crew Wellbeing Project, which focuses on the importance of family connections for seafarers’ mental health during long separations.
The book is the first step in this initiative, created with input from child psychologists at MHSS. It aims to connect families, foster understanding, and support seafarers and their children, despite the distance between them.
