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Well, personally, I felt her parents could have shown more emotion towards their kids by making them understand what's actually going on rather than just announcing and asking them to move to distinct relatives homes for the summer.

I think they tried their best. Hiding it wasn't the most prudent option, and when they did reveal it it, they did it in the best way they could. They certainly had their children's best interest at heart.

I like the fact that Lea's parents took it upon themselves to break the news to their children. However, they did not take the time to explain in detail what it means to be separated in marriage. Additionally, they decided who was going with who without asking the children for their opinion; a decision that was rather unfair to Lea and T.J. Lastly, I felt Lea's pain when she found out that Laura knew about the separation way before Lea knew. I think even though Lea's parents had their reasons to separate, they did not consider their children that much.

I believe that Lea's parents should have handled the situation better after announcing their separation. Lea's mother was very vague in explaining the entire situation to Lea. Because of this, Lea was confused, angry and very sad. Lea's mother sent Lea to her Aunt Meg's house for the summer. Lea did not know her Aunt Meg very well. Although Lea's little brother was a pest, deep down it hurt Lea to be separated from her brother. She did not get a chance to say "goodbye" to him for the summer. I felt very sorry for Lea. Everybody was snatched away from her very quickly, and she did not get a chance to process it.

My opinion is that Lea's parents should have talked more with their kids about the separation and how they felt. Sending Lea and T.J. to different relatives without explaining well made them feel sad and confused.

The parents could have been more sensitive to the kid's feelings. There was too much information for the children to process. The parents told them they were getting a divorce, they were both going separate ways for the Summer, both siblings would go different places, and they would leave immediately. The news appears to be too much for these children. They should have told them much earlier so they could understand what was coming.

I completely agree with your comment. I think the parents handled it poorly. It felt rushed and impersonal like the parents didn't care about their children's well-being and just wanted to go live their own lives. More explanation and emotions from the parents would've lent itself well to this part of the book.

Penny Ann Criswell Johnson wrote: ↑04 Jun 2024, 22:48 The parents could have been more sensitive to the kid's feelings. There was too much information for the children to process. The parents told them they were getting a divorce, they were both going separate ways for the Summer, both siblings would go different places, and they would leave immediately. The news appears to be too much for these children. They should have told them much earlier so they could understand what was coming.

I agree with you. The parents' sudden divorce announcement overwhelmed their children, dumping a tidal wave of emotions on them. A more gentle, gradual approach would have shown empathy, allowing the kids to process and prepare for the changes. Instead, the abrupt news left them reeling, making a tough situation even more heartbreaking.

That was my least favorite part of the book. The parents dropped the news on their children out of nowhere, split them up without discussion, held Laura to keeping their secret from Lea, and whisked them away at lightspeed. The children's feelings were ignored, they were given no time to process, and the parents came across as completely self-centered.