6 minute read
Supporting Kids’ Mental Health Through a Story
By Jenn Wint
I’ve been an avid reader since I was young. I loved that I could explore emotions and experiences through characters, feel and learn things and there were no repercussions because it was just a story. Books are still a comforting place for me to test boundaries and uncover consequences all from within the safety of the pages.
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When I was first pregnant, I read to decide how I would feel about being a mother. I read fiction about motherhood, I leaned into the maternal characters of books I had read before. I read plenty of non-fiction and figured I’d have a better handle on it than some of the writers (spoiler: I was wrong.) I allowed myself to explore different angles of motherhood through stories to see what felt right.
We began reading to my son before he could even open his eyes. Books helped us teach him to count, teach him about animals and introduce him to characters from all walks of life. We read books about naughty monkeys, grumpy bears, body parts, and acts of kindness. Eventually, we read books about potty training, moving homes, and then about the joy and challenge of becoming a big brother. Parenting is hard. Finding books that allow kids to explore their emotions through the eyes of others makes it a fraction easier. Reading books that explore tough concepts like grief and loss can ease the burden of finding the right words and can allow you to experience the emotion alongside your kids. Books are a tool I’ve used through many parenting milestones.
When my second baby was about three months old, I developed postpartum anxiety. I was irritable, constantly organizing, and then worrying plans would fall apart. I cried a lot. I refused help and then lay awake at night while my baby slept, stressed about all
I hadn’t gotten done. I worried incessantly about natural disasters and catastrophes hurting my family. My son, then almost three, sensed my distress. He kissed my tears away and then stared at me with wide eyes when I cried because his toys were left out. I Googled books about anxiety and looked for the playbook to help him understand what I was going through. I wanted him to know that although physically I was “back to normal” since having his baby sister, I was still recovering. I found clinical books about depression, and I found lots of books about sadness but I struggled to find books that named anxiety within a story.
As I began treatment and my condition improved, a pandemic hit, and I felt helpless again. I could sense the anxiety in my son as well. Repeated sanitization, masks, and the fear of hurting loved ones by proximity affect us at any age. As the pandemic intensified and mental health became a more mainstream topic, I wrote a story for my son about an anxious girl named Josie. Organizing and scheduling were a source of a lot of my anxiety, so I let my character work through her own calendar overwhelm. As I read the story aloud I wondered if other kids and parents would find it useful as well.
I’ve always been a writer, but it hadn’t crossed my mind to author a kid’s book. I began spending my sleepless nights emailing publishers and crafting pitches. I found a publisher who aligned with my values and was a busy mom herself. I learned a lot through the process and at times the road felt long but my desire to normalize mental health conversations kept me going. I was passionate about a book that discussed anxiety management but dreamed of one that kids (and parents) would want to read. I re-read the
potty books my son chose night after night and realized it was the characters and their relatable challenges he loved; their bathroom business wasn’t the hook.
‘Josie’s Busy Calendar’ is about anxiety and self-care as kids experience it. The book explores the cause and relief of tummy knots. Josie learns that cancelling her plans and taking time alone makes her a better friend to her playmates and herself.
I hope this story empowers young kids to listen to their feelings and have the confidence to put their needs first when something feels wrong. Taking time for yourself, even if it means disappointing others is ok, at any age. It’s important, as parents, that we listen to our kids when they feel overwhelmed. As a high functioning, type A, overachieving, people pleaser, this has been a huge challenge for me. I hear from parents that their kids enjoyed the book and that they also took the message to heart. Advocating for your own self-care is a healthy practice to instill early. Writing about Josie didn’t cure my anxiety, but it started a lot of conversations and normalized the struggles I was feeling. Some of the best conversations my book has started have been with my kids. My son feels no shame
Writing didn’t in taking his “Josie time” cure my anxiety, when he needs a break. I but it started a lot urge him and my daughof conversations and normalized the struggles I was feeling. ter to be gentle with themselves and never judge their feelings. I encourage them to get curious about what their feelings are telling their body to do. I am not an anxiety expert. I am an anxiety sufferer and a storyteller. I am also a mom, looking to find tools for my parenting kit that will help facilitate the conversations I can’t find the words for. Josie’s Busy Calendar by Jenn Wint is for ages 3–100. The book is available on Amazon or through your local retailer. Follow Jenn @jenn_wint for book and chocolate chip cookie reviews. Jenn Wint and her book, Josie’s Busy Calendar
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