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The Ouch Inside: What happens when Mummy has Depression
The debut Children’s book, from best-selling novelist, Debbie Rae. It can be hard to broach the subject of Depression with a young child. This beautifully illustrated, rhyming book gently introduces some key descriptions, words and talking points about Depression for ages 2-6. Join Joy as she bravely asks her Mum about her illness and receives the answers she needs to understand.
26 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 9, 2021
Debbie Temperley Rae's book 'The Ouch Inside' is written "For inquisitive young minds and those who need help finding answers" to adult depression.
I was moved to write a review of this book because when we are in a funk of depression, we cannot always reach out to our children to help them understand why this is happening or even when it will end, so that we will become ourselves again, the Mummy (or Daddy) that our children love and can depend upon to care for their young physical and emotional needs.
It is easy to see how bewildered children might think they are at fault for the depressed state of a parent, blaming themselves, wondering if they were only better behaved children or helped Mummy more, then perhaps she would not be ill or have to close herself away.
The child may well ask 'What's wrong with you Mummy?' or 'How can I fix you?' Yet we as adults know, we cannot always convey to a child's satisfaction, the depth of our disconnect.
We might respond with 'Mummy's sad right now' and a wan smile, leaving the child bereft and with no understanding of what they might have done to make Mummy sad or indeed how to help.
This short story beautifully explains both points of view so that a child may read the book and easily grasp a simplified version of this illness.
The illustrations are chosen carefully, not only to support the dialogue but also to display for a child reading the book, the emotions they may be internalizing and the solutions that may or may not be useful in this instance. The colours work toward this end too, the most calming and alluring of blues, greens and pinks serve to provide a restful background.
Most of all, the child may find comfort in these pages that Mummy, or indeed Daddy may soon disentangle themselves from the worst of this illness and return to the arms of their waiting children.
I was moved to write a review of this book because when we are in a funk of depression, we cannot always reach out to our children to help them understand why this is happening or even when it will end, so that we will become ourselves again, the Mummy (or Daddy) that our children love and can depend upon to care for their young physical and emotional needs.
It is easy to see how bewildered children might think they are at fault for the depressed state of a parent, blaming themselves, wondering if they were only better behaved children or helped Mummy more, then perhaps she would not be ill or have to close herself away.
The child may well ask 'What's wrong with you Mummy?' or 'How can I fix you?' Yet we as adults know, we cannot always convey to a child's satisfaction, the depth of our disconnect.
We might respond with 'Mummy's sad right now' and a wan smile, leaving the child bereft and with no understanding of what they might have done to make Mummy sad or indeed how to help.
This short story beautifully explains both points of view so that a child may read the book and easily grasp a simplified version of this illness.
The illustrations are chosen carefully, not only to support the dialogue but also to display for a child reading the book, the emotions they may be internalizing and the solutions that may or may not be useful in this instance. The colours work toward this end too, the most calming and alluring of blues, greens and pinks serve to provide a restful background.
Most of all, the child may find comfort in these pages that Mummy, or indeed Daddy may soon disentangle themselves from the worst of this illness and return to the arms of their waiting children.
April 15, 2021
Helped my whole family understand
We have been trying to find a way to approach this extremely difficult subject. Hiding from it doesn't work. The story took our whole family on a journey and beautiful illustrations a joy to read. Seriously thank your @debbierae
We have been trying to find a way to approach this extremely difficult subject. Hiding from it doesn't work. The story took our whole family on a journey and beautiful illustrations a joy to read. Seriously thank your @debbierae
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews