Here she adds her supporters, the two symbols that stand either side of her shield and hold it up. One represents her mother's side, the other her father's. 

How you can help
     • Help them find a cosy moment together of around one hour, perhaps over tea or a shared activity.
     • Make sure her booklet goes with her. Encourage her to list three things she's good at before the conversation.
     • If you have family photographs, especially of relatives at around age 14, this is a great time to share them.

Please remember 
Every family is shaped differently. If she doesn't know much about one side, she can choose a symbol for the people who have helped raise her and hold her up. Reassure her that this is "equally as meaningful".

Some family stories carry sadness. If a conversation touches something tender, let her know she can talk to you about it.

There are no right answers. She may keep some reflections private, and that's okay. 

In the Threadmaker's Caravan, you are the keeper of the threads. She is here to listen and to be curious.

Before you meet 
She'll have listed three things she's good at, using three kinds of strength: For example:-
     • Heart: kindness, empathy, loyalty, humour, independence.
     • Hand: making, building, cooking, music, sport, organising chaos. 
     • Head: problem-solving, curiosity, quick thinking, determination.

As she shares them, listen for any you recognise in yourself, her mother or the women before you.

What she'll ask you 
Take a moment beforehand to think about these:
     • When you were 14, what did you love doing most?
     • What came naturally to you?
     • Is there a talent or hobby you wish you could have followed, but couldn't because of the times you lived in?
     • What "superpower" do you see in her that reminds you of her mother, of yourself, or of your own mother?
     • What was the hardest thing you overcame when you were young? How did you do it?
     • Where do you think you get your strength from?
     • What is she allowed to do today that you could only dream of at her age?
     • What strengths run through your side of the family, in the women and the men? And what strengths do you see on her father's side?

Gather a few family treasures If you can, bring out photographs of yourself, her mother and your own mother at around 14. That superpower question reaches across four generations, and seeing those faces side by side can be unforgettable.

Letters, recipes, a piece of jewellery or any everyday object kept for its memories can open a story just as well.

How to share your story 
Offer short, honest memories, then turn the focus back to her.

Your story is a doorway she walks through, not a room you dwell in. When she asks about the hardest thing you overcame, choose a story you're comfortable sharing with a 14-year-old. It doesn't need to be your hardest moment. What matters most is how you found your way through.

The question to prepare for 
She'll ask: "What advice would your 14-year-old self give me today?" 
Think about this one ahead of time and encourage her to write it down.
Keep it simple as your answer will help build the family motto you'll be creating for her crest..

Keep it open
     • If a question feels too big for today, it's fine to move on.
     • If her question surprises you, invite her to ask "Why?" or "What happened next?"
     • She may ask to record your conversation. It's your choice; she's been asked to request your permission first.
     • Her booklet is private. Let her decide what to share.

Before you finish Her last step is to write down "a thread I want to remember." You might share one of your own too.

Your next visit will be the Compass Pavilion where Thea considers which values can guide her and how an ancient labyrinth can help her solve decisions and dilemmas.