I get a lot of e-mail from parents who want to explain to
their children about the other parent’s alcoholism or addiction. It’s a touchy
subject and there is always the fear of creating more confusion in trying to
explain an already confusing subject. I never sat down and talked to my kids
about their father’s use of alcohol. There may have been some dialog – but they
knew. There was no way they could NOT know. They overhead the arguments, they
suffered their own disappointment in Riley’s lack of attention to their
accomplishments, failures and just life in general. My kids didn’t need a book
because they were part and parcel to it all.
It isn’t like that in all families. Sometimes the addiction
is such a guarded secret from the kids that they just don’t know. Maybe they
are too little to understand. Maybe they grew to just accept it as a part of
normal life because they didn’t know it WASN’T normal.
Carolyn Hannan Bell is the author of an easily understood
book “Daddy’s Disease” and “Mommy’s Disease” which offers an explanation to
children with an alcoholic parent. She is a practicing licensed professional
counselor specializing in substance abuse, codependency, depression and
anxiety.
“Daddy’s Disease” features Tommy, a young boy who doesn’t
understand why his father doesn’t want to be with him. Tommy and his dog Murphy
are easily relatable characters that are fortunate enough to have a Mommy who
explains that Daddy’s disease is called alcoholism. She helps Tommy understand
that he is not to blame for his father’s behavior and that his father’s lack of
attention is not because he is unloved or unworthy.
Mommy’s Disease follows the same concept with a young girl
named Mila.
Both books are available on Amazon.com. You can also order
one or both of these books by going to Carolyn Hannan Bell’s website:
http://www.alcoholismhurtskids.com/about-the-author-and-helping-children-understand-book-series.html
Be sure to leave a review in the blog comments and on Amazon.com if you should decide to buy these books for your children.
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