My Bi-Polar MamaBear

Approximately 1.6 million adults in the U.S. live with bipolar disorder and a third of those suffer from substance abuse addictions and these diseases display similar symptoms and consequences. My daughter is among this number and as a result became incapable of providing a stable environment to care for my granddaughter. I decided to create a way to explain and educate Nirvana Skye that her mom's behaviors are "big people" problems and more importantly to remind her that in no way are these circumstances her fault. Notably, the colors of the hats and dresses  are matching to signify how this illness, specifically the mood changes, impacts the child. 

The term "bipolar" remains taboo resulting from society terming it as an excuse for a simple mood fluctuation or worse, terming people to be crazy and manic. These inappropriate and minimization usages demoralizes , stigmatizes, and isolates  those who are suffering from bipolar disorder. There are multitudes of children who have been displaced, transitioned into new families, or currently still reside with or know someone who displays these behaviors presented in this book. Regrettably, today's world provides limited resources to educate and support this growing population thereby hindering the development of  coping methods required to enhance the processes of healing for all who are affected. 

My hope is that this book will promote open-ended, educated conversations  with children that will allow them an outlet to express their feelings. Additionally,  this simple book may assist parents, caregivers, and others who don't understand bipolar disorder. My wish for everyone is to gain the abilities to spread universal tolerance, support, and affection for individuals suffering from these debilitating diseases.