Educator Victoria Daley is a children’s book author on a mission to create dialogue around divorced parents through the “Mia’s World” book series.
Daley is a secondary school educator hailing from the Greater Toronto Area. A child of separated parents, Daley is of Guyanese and Jamaican descent. From a young age, Daley learned that separation and divorce was a taboo topic within West Indian culture. From a young age she noticed that her parents’ separation was a silenced topic within her family. Throughout childhood she was forbidden to voice an opinion about her parents’ separation.
“‘You’re too young, mind your business, Daddy’s not here’ is what [my upbringing] was. I wasn’t allowed to express myself. I didn’t want that for [Mia],” Daley said.
As an adult, Daley experienced a separation from the father of her then three year old daughter Mia. The children’s author knew that she did not want Mia to experience what she did.
After the divorce, Daley was tasked with explaining a new lifestyle to Mia. She emphasized that Mia was loved and lucky to have two of everything in her life now. Though Mia was just a toddler, Mia’s understanding and acceptance of her parents co-parenting inspired Daley to create the “Mia’s World” book series.
The book series uses the medium of children’s literature to educate families on the realities of co-parenting. Books such as “Mommy Lives Here & Daddy Lives There” and “Birthday Party at Daddy’s House” are realistic depictions of co-parenting and often spark conversation between parents and children.
Daley noticed a lack of representation for diverse family units in children’s literature. From queer parents to divorcees, Daley felt a call to diversify children’s literature. The conversation with Mia has gone on to spark two children’s books and the start of a book club.
The need for dialogue was also inspired by Daley’s career in education. For five years, she worked with a majority of Black and racialized high school students. When speaking with students, she noticed that parental matters were also a taboo topic in other cultures. This inspired Daley to continue creating ways for parents and children to talk openly about co-parenting and to fill in the gaps she saw in the education system around barriers to self-expression.
Since the start of the book series Daley has experienced positive feedback in bringing dialogue to the topic. At a recent book signing event, Daley shared a conversation with a fellow mother. The woman recalled that their son was outspoken about the impact the separation had on his life, but their 17-year-old daughter had been quiet on the matter. Speaking with Daley prompted the mother to engage in dialogue with her daughter after years of not speaking about the divorce. She shared with Daley that despite having a teenage daughter that seemed to be doing okay, she now saw the value in having open lines of communication with her children, no matter their age.
Despite the pain of separation, Daley and her Mia have understand the dynamics of health co-parenting. Daley’s mission is breaking cultural taboos by encouraging conversation for families who have experienced parental separation.
“I don’t like to look at [life] as a challenge. I turn my pain into purpose. This is what I’m meant to do.”Daley said.
