Reviews of Wishes and Worries: A story to help children understand a parent who drinks too much alcohol

First appeared in:

Resource Links
Page 2, October 2005
By Denise Parrott, Youth Cataloguing Librarian, Halifax Regional Library, Halifax NS

A little girl talks about how difficult it is to have a father who drinks too much. Nine-year-old Maggie is disappointed when her dad’s drinking causes him to be late with her birthday cake and worries that her classmates are ignoring her because of the failed party. A sympathetic teacher encourages Maggie to voice her fears, and, following a discussion with her mother, Maggie’s dad sees their family doctor to seek help.

All the adults in Maggie’s life, including her father, are quite supportive and positive, answering her questions and assuring her that she is not the cause of her father’s problem. In real life, a child with an alcoholic parent might be lucky to have one such supportive adult. For children in crisis, a supportive adult may be able to present the material to help the child talk, but I think it’s the supportive adult and the talking that are the keys to helping the child  through the crisis. If a book like this helps, that’s great, but it can never replace the adult support.

The introductory section for adults outlines the goals: to provide story books which holds the interest of children and answer the most common questions, and to give adults a tools to talk with children. It also has an introduction for kids and lists the adult who may help them. While this book may not be suited to a typical classroom situation, it would be useful when an understanding adult wants to help a child identify that he or she (or a friend) is in crisis and needs help.

• Print