Sunny the Smiley Mermaid - Your Guide to Getting the Most Out of Letter Two of The Mermaid Mail Series

The second letter in the Mermaid Mail series, featuring Summer the Smiley mermaid, is all about building confidence and celebrating what makes us unique. This guide will help you make the most of this empowering letter, turning its vibrant story and illustrations into a valuable tool for building self-esteem, knowledge of inclusion and kindness. However, as always there is no pressure to do anything extra and your child simply exploring the letter independently is more than enough!

Confidence: Celebrating What Makes You Shine

Summer the Smiley mermaid's letter introduces the concept of confidence as embracing everything that makes you, you. Her enthusiasm for her unique double-fin tail encourages children to see their own differences as strengths.

Start by discussing what confidence means with your child:

• “What do you think makes Summer feel proud and special?”
• “What are some things about you that make you feel happy and unique?”
• “How can we help our friends feel confident about what makes them special?”

Summer's double-fin tail serves as a beautiful reminder that being unique is a gift. It also opens the door to meaningful conversations about physical differences, such as additional or differing limbs and digits.

Spotlight on Inclusion: Double Tails, Glasses, and Birthmarks

The illustrations in this letter include mermaids with unique features that celebrate diversity and normalise differences:

• Summer's double-fin tail is an opportunity to talk about additional or differing limbs and digits. You could ask your child:
  • “How do you think Summer's double-fin tail helps her in the ocean?”
  • “What if someone you know has an extra finger, toe, or a prosthetic limb? How could that make them amazing in their own way?”
    
    This conversation encourages your child to view differences as strengths and understand how everyone has unique abilities

• One mermaid wears glasses, helping children who wear glasses feel seen and confident. It also normalises glasses for other children, showing them as a positive and everyday tool.

• One mermaid has a large facial birthmark, which provides representation and shows how all features are beautiful.

Encourage your child to notice these details in the illustrations:

• “Did you see the mermaid with glasses? Isn’t it cool how they help her see the ocean clearly?”
• “What do you think about the mermaid’s birthmark? It makes her look so unique, like a treasure of the sea!”

These discussions help children appreciate and respect differences while building empathy and understanding.

Activities to Explore Confidence and Individuality

1. Confidence Check-In

• Ask your child to think about what makes them proud of themselves. Write down or draw these traits in a journal.
• Use the poem in Summer's letter to reinforce self-love.

2. Jellyfish Craft

• Create glowing jellyfish using paper and ribbons. Talk about how jellyfish glow in their own unique way, just like people do!

3. Explore Physical Differences Through Play

• Use toys or art to explore differences, like creating animals with extra fins, arms, or unique features.
• Discuss how these differences could help them in exciting ways, such as swimming faster, hugging better, or exploring more efficiently.

4. Draw or Write About Your Sparkle

• Have your child draw or write about the traits or features that make them feel special. Display their artwork as a reminder of their unique qualities.

A Reminder from Summer

Inside this letter, your child will find a glowing jellyfish sticker with the words, “You light up the world.” Encourage your child to stick it somewhere special like their journal, a notebook, or their favourite water bottle as a reminder of their inner sparkle and confidence.

Why This Letter Matters

Summer's story and the illustrations in this letter provide powerful tools to:

• Build your child’s self-esteem by celebrating individuality.
• Normalise physical differences like additional limbs, glasses, or birthmarks, encouraging acceptance and inclusion.
• Help children understand that everyone shines in their own way, just like glowing jellyfish lighting up the ocean.

Share Your Stories!

We’d love to hear how you and your child explored this letter! Share your experiences, jellyfish crafts, or confidence stories with us at:
📧 hello@happyenvelopeclub.com
📱 @happyenvelopeclub

As a thank you, we’ll send you a special discount code for future subscriptions and products.