Where Did Mommy Go?: Helping Kids Cope When a Parent Goes into Treatment

by Kandace Marugg

Overview

This book was written for young children to help them understand why mommy or daddy has to go away for an extended time to a treatment center to "get better." This can seem like a difficult conversation to have with a 3-6-year old. Children of this age may not understand why their parent is going away and can be confused and even frightened. In many cases, they may know on some level that there is something going on, and often a simple explanation will suffice, that mommy or daddy is going away for a while to get better and that they will return soon. Explaining to a child that they will be safe and taken care of while their parent is gone will help them feel confident in this new change in their life. 

In this book, Spook's mommy is going to a treatment center so she can get better and doesn't have to drink her strange milk anymore. Parents going into treatment will also benefit by sharing this book with their 3-6-year old, opening up communication and making the explanation easier.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780998031774
Publisher:	Amaranth Press
Publication date:	10/27/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	36
Sales rank:	913,465
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Kandace Marugg is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor in Minnesota. As a child of alcoholic parents, along with her little brother, she lost her father to a drug overdose and was taken away from her mother, who was also an addict. She grew up with her grandparents, but later lost her mother to a heroin overdose. Kandace pledged to become an alcohol and drug counselor to help put families back together. Kandace started her counseling journey in Washington State and worked at an intensive outpatient treatment facility for two and a half years. When her fiancé's job required them to relocate, they traveled to Minnesota and she began counseling men at inpatient facilities in Waverly and Elk River, but later found her counseling home at a residential facility for women in St. Paul. The women she counseled were worried because their children were too young to understand what was going on and why their parent had gone into treatment. Then, driving home from work one day, a story idea came to her and Kandace was inspired to write this book. The main character is actually based on her real-life cat named Spooks.

Editorial Reviews

This book offers a direct explanation, with simple language and beautiful illustrations, while addressing a difficult family topic of what is happening when a parent goes to treatment. I am a counselor and a person in recovery, as well as an Adult Child of an Alcoholic, so I know how hard these conversations can be, especially for young children. The book is written in simple language that makes it easy for children to understand. This would be a wonderful resource for parents who are going to treatment. I especially like the Tips and Resource List at the end.

-Chanda Palacios, LADC Supervisor

I think its great! I also think its perfect for the younger age audience to explain and also liked that you put resources in the back. I work in the schools and think this would be great in our elementary schools!

-Mallory Fuchs, LADC, Chemical Health Specialist

From the Publisher